<p class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-724825">Melanie Coffey (Photo: Sentara Norfolk General Hospital)NORFOLK, Va. – One of the survivors of the tragic mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center issued a powerful statement Wednesday while on her journey to recovery.
Melanie Coffey was admitted to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital after the shooting. Hospital staff say she is currently in fair condition.
Faces of the Virginia Beach mass shooting
Coffey is asking that her privacy and that of her family be respected and states that she does not wish to conduct media interviews at this time.
She asked Sentara Norfolk staff to distribute a statement regarding the tragedy and her healing, which can be read in full below:
I want to offer my sincere and heartfelt thanks to the Virginia Beach police officers who intervened and EMS volunteers who helped get everyone they could to safety. You are heroes who serve our community every day and I am grateful for your service.
To my friends, family members, coworkers and the City of Virginia Beach, who are offering compassion and support, I thank you. Your encouragement is helping me prepare for the next steps in recovery from this terrible crime.
I want to thank the skilled and caring professionals with Sentara hospitals and Nightingale, who helped save my life and continue to care for others.
I am just one person affected by this tragedy in our community. My hope is for courage and determination as we heal together.
I need to focus on my family and my healing and I request privacy during this time.
– Melanie Coffey
If you’d like to help, you can access a GoFundMe for Melanie by clicking here.
Click here for our full coverage on the Virginia Beach mass shooting.
