The news about the Route 91 mass shooting
When I returned for my deli clerk job from Las Vegas on October 1, I was greeted by my co-workers. But it wasn't questions about my trip and how it was. Instead, it was something out of left field.
"Oh my goodness! Thank God you're okay!"
"We were thinking about you!"
"Did you hear the news about what happened in Las Vegas?"
It turns out that upon arriving in Las Vegas, the Route 61 mass shooting happened. It struck me out of nowhere as I wondered what would've happened if my father or I had stayed for an additional day. What if we were wandering around the Mandalay Bay Casino and Hotel and were killed in the crossfire? Sometimes, you don't think about your last words, for they could happen at any moment.
This was the same thought that countless Las Vegas residents had during that time. It wasn't about the upcoming Vegas Golden Knights preseason matchup against the San Jose Sharks. It wasn't about how exciting Marc-Andre Fleury or Jonathan Marchessault would be. It was about whether they or their families were safe. Some were mourning the loss of their most cherished people, for they would never see them again.