New parents Summer Clyburn, 22, and Michael Gracia, 24, were experiencing something all parents of littles need – some together time away – when tragedy struck. They were among two of the victims of a lone gunman at the Las Vegas shooting as they attended the Route 91 Country Music Festival. The shooting ultimately claimed the lives of a staggering 59 people and wounded another 527, making in the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. Gunman Stephen Paddock’s motives for this mass murder remain unclear.
When the attack began, Gracia, a California police officer, was struck in the head. In a moment of bravery, Summer leapt on top of the father of her child, protecting him from further injury. Because of her selflessness, she too was shot—in the back. No doubt, she was thinking of their 3-month-old daughter, Vayda, praying they would live to raise their child together.
As soon as it was safe, the couple, along with hundreds of others, were rushed to the hospital. Summer’s injuries were not life-threatening, and soon a photo appeared on Facebook of her holding her baby girl while her back was bandaged up from the gunshot wound.
