Help gun violence survivor Fantacia Lopez recover

Hello Friends and Family. First, I would like to thank God that I am alive right now. I am truly Blessed. On Saturday January. 29, 2022, at 11 PM, I was shot in my Face. The bullet penetrated and broke the lower left jaw bone, which slowed down the impact of the bullet from completely tearing through my neck. According to CT scans and X-rays, I have swallowed the bullet. My mouth was wired shut for one month, and I was on an all

Liquid diet. The Doctors are hoping that I am able to digest the bullet, so we can avoid having to surgically remove it. 

This was a tragic event. I was having a Beautiful Day. I had no idea in just a few hours I’d be faced with death. I was invited to celebrate my best friend’s birthday. She offered to pick up my son, my guest, and I. When my best friend and her ride arrived, we all exchanged joyful greetings. As we drove my son to a slumber Party to spend time with his cousins and his auntie, we hear something loud hit the back of our car. We all turned around to see what it was, and all I heard was a loud ringing in my left ear. Next thing I know I’m choking on my own blood. It was coming out of eyes, nose, and mouth. I was in complete shock and had no idea what just happened to me. I was shot in my Face. Although I was hit, and in pain, all I could think about was my child and his safety. I wasn’t sure if he was okay. I pushed him to the bottom of the car, because, they were still firing. 

I was rushed to the emergency room. I survived gun cross fire. It was a life changing experience for me. According to the detectives the cameras in the area show that our vehicle was not a target. We were innocent bystanders who were driving by when violence broke out. My Son, my friends, and I are so blessed to be alive right now.

My first Experience with Death, was at my Grandmother Paula’s and Uncle Nathan’s, funeral when I was a young girl. They were shot to death. For the past Decade, from 2016 until 2022, it has been extremely tragic for my Family and I. We lost so many Loved ones to Gun Violence. All innocent victims. In 2017, My 17 year old brother, Antonio Lopez, My 22 year old cousin, Narsisco Ledesma, and my 24 year old sister, Celeste Cockriel, were shot to death, in a triple homicide. Only Just last year on Easter weekend 2021, my Daughter and I buried her 28 year old Father, Brian Guerrero, to Gun Violence. And Now I have been face to face with a Bullet. It’s still inside of my body. I am no stranger to Gun Violence and the pain of loosing a life to it. For a while I thought, this is normal, this is just the way it is, and I have to accept that. Due to all of the gun violence and trauma I have experienced, I have fallen into depression and faced serious financial circumstances that I have not fully recovered from. By Gods Grace and the protection of my Guardian Angels, I survived Death and when I knew that I would Live, I no longer wanted to live in that Dark corner that I was in. I have been given the chance of Life. With my new Life, I would like to take a stand. I would like to voice all the Families that are living in silence and Darkness. They are afraid to receive justice because, they believe they will be the next target. I represent them. I am here for them.

I had the opportunity to live in another state for one year and our Home City was on the News everywhere, known for murder, Violence, and crime. I told new found friends, that I am from Chicago, they literally said to this sweet, gentle, kind, loving, Mexican girl, that I was a gangsta, to be careful around me. That I’m dangerous. Is that the reputation we are leaving for ourselves? After this tragic incident that has happened to me, I was asked to consider relocating for my safety. What Justice will that do? How many more lives will be lost. The efforts that we choose to make as a community, to shed light on the truth, to lead one another out of the conscious coma, and to create the world we wish to see, is what will make a difference. Earth is our home and we all live here, we have to learn to share. We have to learn to get along. We can create peace, we can create the world we live in.

Gun Violence has taken everything from me. I would love to hug my Grandmother, my Uncle, my brother, and my sister again. I would Love for my daughter to have a Father and for him to give her the Love only a Father can. I would like a second chance at life that was stolen from me. I would like to know what it’s like to live and to be loved. Thank you. All proceeds will go to Fantacia Lopez and her Family.