Thanks for sharing that story bookee! I am sorry to hear that and am glad you can still enjoy the things that are important to you.
My story is much different. Its not a story to blame guns just the reasoning of what goes on in a teenagers mind. I was dating this guy Ed, his parents went to a wedding one night, seeing that we were teens that was a great place to hang out for the evening. his father was a Chicago Police Officer. His Father had his 357 mag sitting on top of the closet. Well Ed got it out thinking he was cool. At first it wasnt loaded, he was joking around pointing it at us then at him. We had told him to just put it away, bullets or no bullets. Well that must of egged him on, he decided to put a few bullets in. I was sitting right next him telling him to put it away over and over, he had said he knew which chamber the bullets were in and he'd know if it would go off or not. Still I argued to put it away. He pointed at me pointed it at himself, I guess now calling it Russian roulette. Well I was very nervous, I went to light up cigarette, as I went to lite it i dropped the match, as I went down to pick it up I guess the gun went off as it was pointed to his head, to be honest I cant hear that gunshot, only in dreams or when I hear a loud noise. Well I as i was coming up I looked over at him and basically saw his entire front of his head blow off unto me. It is still kind of a blur, all I remember after that is calling the police, and later they had told me that the bullet had gone thru his head and into the wall behind where I was sitting. So if I hadnt dropped that match it would have most likely struck me too. So since then I really hated guns, they scared me. My husband has friends that think its a joke that I am so afraid. They point them at me (well used to). So then I was just total anti-gun after seeing all the children getting killed by gunfire. Then the this entire Rosie thing started, I saw some of her points and actually supported her in everything. Then I saw all the opinions of pro-gunners at the boards. Well I told this story and they did not give me very nice replies. THen I moved over to AcmeRosie and started my own thread asking questions to the pro-gunners. They were more that nice to answer all my questions and provide me with the facts and not just gossip. Therefore, in all the research I have been doing these last few weeks, I am actually more for guns now. I believe that people have a right to own one and I dont think that right should ever be taken away. Other pro-gun friends over there suggested that I try out a shooting range, to lessen my fear. I am considering it, if I can find the right person to take me (a patient one lol) I still chose not to own one, but I am starting very slowly to get over this lifetime fear. I am 28 years old and now it has been umpteen years ago, time to move on and conquer the worst fear of all.