Heroes stay with mall shooting victim to the end: 'she did not die alone'
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CLACKAMAS, Ore. - In the chaos of the shooting spree Tuesday at Clackamas Town Center, several people stayed with Cindy Ann Yuille, 54, who was shot and died at the scene.
Retired emergency room nurse Joan Smith of Milwaukie, Ore., was one of the people who worked to revive Yuille after shots rang out.
She said she wanted the family to know that Cindy was cared for until she passed away. "We had to stay with her," she said, even though it was unknown at the time where the shooter was or if they were safe.
Smith, two other nurses and an emergency room doctor all gathered to help Yuille. They tried to save her life, but to no avail. "She died with dignity, and she died with a lot of care and with the utmost help we could possibly give her, and she did not die alone," Smith said.
Along with Smith and the others, Tony Charro also tried to help Yuille. He ran to Cindy between abandoned shopping bags and empty strollers scattered near the food court.
His message to her family was the same as Smiths. "No, she didn't die alone," he said, near tears. "She didn't die alone. I tried. I tried."
Now that is what you call fearless compassion. Simply amazing in a very good way :)
This made me tear up. It makes me feel better to know that she wasn't alone. Death is a scary thing to me (maybe not to others) and it leaves me very confused. I'm glad there are people out there like this...
This brought me to tears..
Okay. We know are being told everything. Not sure I have the right to know what expressly went on at the moment this woman died. Or require being told about any of it - the details, details, details.Â
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I resent local media broadcasting images taken by cell phones of her lying on the ground in the mall.Â
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Enough, already. Let this crime victim and Steve Forsyth rest in peace.
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These details should be shared with their families. Only. TMI, people. TMI.Â
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 @englishdaisy When I worked in journalism, we had a policy to never show images of someone who had died in an incident/accident. We wouldn't even show a draped body. Those rules are long gone. News agencies don't feel bad showing someone's loved one on the floor dying or dead. Just wrong.Â
@Jenni S. @englishdaisy How is it wrong to share the Truth?!?! Grow the hell up.
@Jenni S. I've heard that rules used to be that way - people definitely are looking for sensationalism and don't care at all about doing TMI things.
 @englishdaisy So don't read the story. It was clear by the title of the article what the subject matter would be. You have the power over that. There are lots of folks that are healing and getting more comfort from the 'knowing'.
people this time scared to helped they Rather just leave and pretend they dont see them but this people are have good heart,heroes, but because when people tried to help they got sued is that Terrible country we have..we must be thankful someone helped us and dont messed it up. why suing them... to those who suing they will get KARMA we have terrible country we ever have to much law were messed up.Â
A lot of this country sees Oregonians as coffee drinking, flannel wearing lumberjacks. While it's not a total inaccurate view (I need my coffee daily), we are also some of the most caring and giving people in this country. I have seen small acts of kindness & heroism from our citizens hundreds of times during my life here. This is another example of how we truly value the lives of our fellow citizens. In a time when the country is struggling, my faith in humanity is always bolstered once again by my fellow Oregonians. These people are the ones I aspire to be like in my own life. Bless you and bless all who were affected.Â
These people did a remarkable thing and this story makes me want to cry. The fact that they not only tried to save her, but also stayed with her until she died breaks my heart. I think the best fortune Ms. Yuille had in this situation was the fact that a former ER nurse (someone qualified and experienced) and several other good Samaritans just happened to be there when she was shot and came to her aid, even though it may have been a lost cause. These were the best possible people she could have had with her at that time in her last moments of life.
beautiful and touching! that these two stayed with her and tried to keep her alive means so much
Thank you. I am so touched by this story. Please know that any person who was at the mall and needs counseling but does not have insurance to cover costs can apply at  DOJ Crime Victims' Services Division for an expedited claim here: http://www.doj.state.or.us/victims/pdf/emergency_compensation_application.pdf . Those of you who assisted are beautiful people. Thank you.
A very compassionate story, KATU - thank you...
So, very glad to hear this.So many remarkable and caring people came to her rescue.God bless all of you!
I am so so glad they both shared this. Coming all the way from Corpus Christi, TX.. this touches my heart to hear them reach out to the family and reassure them she was not alone. I hope this provides much comfort to friends and family. Such a tragic event!
God bless them. Glad they had a message to her family. They risked their lives to try and save her. So great to hear of the good that people do and not always the negative.
So glad they shared this!! Â Hoping it provides some comfort to her family and friends!!
God bless these people.
There still are some people out there who care about others more than themselves.
A vanishing breed.
It's especially poignant I think that she left the world surrounded by her own kind, doctors and nurses, since her job as a hospice nurse was to provide care and comfort to others preparing to move on. I'm glad her family can rest assured she was cared for as she cared for others.
Of all the newscasts I've seen regarding this event, this one moved me the most. I've actually been where they were. I never had the chance to tell the son of the woman lost on my watch what happened during the hours I stayed by her side. It's very hard to explain what it feels like to provide comfort to the dying or even the newly deceased. How it impacts you. My heart, thoughts, prays and every other thing I can feel goes out to these people for their efforts and compassion.
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@Lips
Oh Lips, I have been in your shoes. I never had a chance to tell the parents (in another state far away) of a college girl that collapsed in my arm from anaphylactic shock that: we did everything we could, and yet she died... but with loving words in her ear and in warm arms among caring people.  I did not want her to die,  but  in that moment I realized there are some things over which we have no control and it's all in God's hands.  I felt awed to somehow have the karma to be there to witness her leaving this life and being one of the last ones in this life to be with her and wish her love.Â
To Ms. Smith, Mr. Charro and the others: please know you did the perfect thing for someone when they were passing over: you held them with  loving kindness and concern in your wide-open-compassionate-hearts. I can only hope I am as fortunate to have such kindness from another/others surrounding me when it is my time.  Be at peace. You gave your all and the rest is in God's hands.
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 @Bill Scott  @Lips thx
 @whirledworld  @Lips Well said!
 @whirledworld Hugs, Old Friend. Sad day, again.. =..(
 @whirledworld  @Lips Wow. Just...wow. Thank you.
Brought a few tears to my eyes. There are still a lot of wonderful people in the world.
Had that been my mom, I would be so moved to hear their words and know that she died with someone caring holding her. I can think of nothing more special than the kindness and compassion of total strangers who try to save a dying person. Though they could not save her, they stayed with her when she passed. Brings tears to my eyes.Â
 @Kachina Well said, Kachina.
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>'Â Brings tears to my eyes.'
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Amen. It did mine as well.Â
 @MarkKpic  @Kachina glad i wasn't the only one with tears
These are real heroes! So often we read the false bravado of people who tell us what they would have done had they been there. This is what I could only hope I would have done. God Bless!
Ms. Yuille couldn't have been in better hands. I really love how the Good Samaritans tried to save her. So very kind and caring.Â
Ms Smith, and Mr Charro, as well as anyone else who put themselves in danger to offer aid to the victims, as a citizen of Oregon I offer you all a sincere and heartfelt thank you!Â
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You exemplify the absolute best in humanity, and I am proud to live in a state with you all. Medals and accolaids seem woefully inadequate, but they are all that can be offered.
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Anyone who has worked in the medical field likely has some training and experience in grief awareness and management I sincerely hope that can help you deal with the aftermath. The non-professionals who were first hand witnesses to the end of these peoples lives I pray that you can find peace with the outcomes that you tried so dilligently to avoid. Seek counciling, talk to someone, reach out. You do not have to endure this alone.Â
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I also would like to offer praise to K2 for this (and similar) pieces that are now being run in the aftermath of the shootings. Thank you!
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Personally, I already know too much about the individual who pulled the trigger. I don't need to read or see an exclusive interview with his family, friends or co-workers to know that he was an emotionally unstable person who made a disturbingly bad series of choices that culminated with the deaths of two innocent people, and injuries to a third. I'm more compelled and interested in the people who survived, and stepped in to help.Â
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 @Solipsist01 >'so long as you have goodness in your heart you need not live in fear.'
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Hmmm.... I do agree with the idea that nobody need live in fear. The overall text of the thought seems a bit 'pollyana' to me, but I was raised by a military man, so I'm of the belief that my 'gut' reaction is more to the syntax than concept.Â
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I'm reminded of a montra my Father and uncle were fond of...
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Expect the best, but prepare for the worst.Â
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I sincerely do try to teach my kids that the world isn't filled with blood-thirsty killers. But, I also try to teach her to not go into the world blindly believing that nobody means her any harm. 'Fear' is a primary emotion. That is to say, we are born with the ability to fear. We do not need to be taught to fear. It is hard wired into us for a reason. That reason is self preservation.
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Anger, hatred, malice, disrespect.... Those are not primary emotions. They are learned behavioral patterns.Â
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So, while I may not ever knowingly dissuade her from the emotion of 'fear', I will always try to help her figure out why she fears, decide if it is a justifyable fear, and actively seek to prevent it from morphing into anger, hatred, malice or disrespect.Â
 @Solipsist01 ~ I kind of thought that was what you were saying, Solipsist, but your clarification did help...  There is, for sure, 2 kinds of fear; one helps us survive, but the other can destroy our lives... Â
 @Solipsist01 Fair enough. Thank you for the clarification.
"Smith (Retired emergency room nurse), two other nurses and an emergency room doctor all gathered to help Yuill."
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Man should I ever suffer a serious wound I hope I get so lucky.
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If those people and a first aid kit could not keep the woman alive long enough to first responders no one could.
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I wonder the father who was killed; I hope he was also not alone. And it's nice to know that people will try and help as much as they can.
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If you ever think of losing faith in people, this experience should tell you something.
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 @Repoman Nicely written.
good to know there are people out there like these two and the others who stayed by her side to help her. Prayers to all of them!
As difficult as this must be for Cindy's friends and family, I would think that knowing this will bring them some comfort. R.I.P. Cindy and thank you to all of the heroes who emerged in this tragedy.