One Ohio family’s life changed dramatically last week when their son, Logan Cole was shot by a fellow classmate at West Liberty-Salem High School. The shooting happened at the beginning of the school day as students were preparing to enter their first period classes.
Logan received a shotgun blast to the chest, and according to authorities, was a random victim. Although the school shooter’s intent was to harm more people, he was quickly stopped and no one else was injured in the incident. Logan is currently recovering at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
Though his brush with death has certainly been terrifying, Logan’s parents said in a statement they released yesterday that Logan’s focus was immediately on forgiving his shooter—even as he lay bleeding on the floor of the school bathroom.
“Who did this to you?” his dad says he asked him. He says Logan gave him the shooter’s name, but said, “It doesn’t even matter, dad.” In the heartfelt statement they released, his dad said through tears “I would like to thank my son, who set an example to me, of the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.” Mr. Cole then went on to thank those who came to his son’s aid with no regard for their own lives, saying it reminded him of the scripture of John 15:13, “Greater man has no love than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
Mr. Cole then goes on to explain that Logan and the Cole family can react to this tragic situation because their hope lies in something greater than anything this world has to offer: Jesus Christ. He asks for continual prayers for Logan’s health, and for the shooter’s family.
