WASHINGTON — Vicki Gardner, who survived a shooting on live TV in August, is looking forward to to returning to work now that her final surgery is behind her.
WDBJ TV reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward died when they were gunned down by a former co-worker of the Roanoke news station. Gardner was answering questions about Smith Mountain Lake in a live interview with Parker when the first shots rang out. She played dead and was shot in the back by gunman Vester Flanagan.
In an interview with CNNMoney’s Brian Stelter, Gardner said she believes the gunman ran out of bullets.
“It is hard to even accept that a human being could do that,” she said.
Although Gardner still has some healing to do, she says she is looking ahead to 2016 especially now that her third, and likely final, surgery is behind her. “I think that it’s over with now. It is the recovery, the physical, mental,” she says.
She wants to return to work in the New Year even though the shootings happened just outside of her office. Gardner is the executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce.
She says although she’s seen evil first hand, she has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, “all of the cards, the letters and gifts.” Gardner says she is thankful to be surrounded by her community.
“I have seen the best that society can do,” she said. “It’s just so amazing, I would have never guessed that there was so much good in this world.”
Watch Gardner’s full interview:
