Editor’s Note: This piece contains mention of gun violence. The community of Barrow County, Georgia and I were turned upside down when a gunman unfortunately took the lives of four innocent souls on Sept. 4, 2024. My alma mater, Apalachee High School, made national headlines for the first time that I can remember and every word is now seared into my mind. I had to see images of cop cars in the same frame as the front office that I used to enter when I’d be late for school. A tragedy like this truly takes you off your feet and leaves you mute, unable to comprehend the articles right in front of you.