By Kaylin Tran

Entertainment Editor

  As the first gunshots rang out, concert-goers at the Route 91 Country Music Festival initially thought the sounds were firecrackers. However, their high spirits soon turned to fright when screams began to echo throughout the area. In mere seconds, the festive crowd became a war zone as people ran for safety amidst dozens of falling bodies.

  Although the gunfire only lasted for 15 minutes, thousands of victims were, and continue to be, affected by this atrocity.

  Chelsea Romo, a resident in Southern California and mother of two, was blinded after metal fragments struck her eyes. Romo will be able to receive a corneal lense transplant in her right eye, but her left eye is damaged beyond repair.

  “To hear that your daughter’s been shot is the worst nightmare for any father,” stated Romo’s father, Dave Ferm to KTLA News.

  Romo and hundreds of other victims have set up GoFundMe pages to alleviate the high medical costs.  

  A Johns Hopkins study concluded that initial medical charges alone could range from $2.6 million to $48 million.

   In an attempt to aid relief efforts and financial support, Steve Sisolak, Clark County Commission Chair from Las Vegas, raised more than $10 million, and plans to distribute the funds amongst families affected by the shooting.

  However, survivors face a battle that money cannot fix. According to USA Today, Seth Gillihan, a psychologist and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) researcher, expects that a high percentage of people will experience PTSD after the shooting.

  “It’s something that was so unpredictable, senseless and intentional,” stated Gillihan, “When it’s done by a person, not a natural event, it adds another layer of trauma.”

   Support groups are being held for those experiencing symptoms, such as difficulty sleeping, flashbacks, or survivor’s guilt. Counseling is the preferred option to allow recovery, though the process can take as long as three years.

  “It’s important to recognize [PTSD] as an injury, not a weakness,” stated Michigan State University psychiatry professor Dr. Frank Ochberg to the Chicago Tribune.