The Mother of Columbine Shooter Dylan Klebold Became an Advocate for Mental Health Awareness

Sue Klebold focuses her energy on speaking about mental well being, and urges others to keep their minds and hearts open.

Apr. 15 2024, Published 6:56 p.m. ET

On April 20, 1999, two scholars opened hearth in Columbine High School in Columbine, Colo., killing 12 folks and injuring 21 others. This used to be not the primary school capturing in America, but it might become one of the extra notorious. As of April 2023, The Washington Post reported that over "377 school shootings have taken place since Columbine." Despite the fact that faculty shootings are nearly common this present day, Columbine is generally the primary story one tells when addressing this factor.

The grotesque method the media dealt with this match indubitably burned it into the minds of anyone sufficiently old to keep in mind. Not handiest had been they grabbing fleeing students to check out and get interviews, however they created a false narrative around who the shooters truly had been. Eric Harris was once in reality fairly outgoing and Dylan Klebold was shy. Strangely, Harris's parents stayed hidden while Klebold's didn't. What happened to Dylan Klebold's parents? Here's what we all know.

Where are Dylan Klebold's parents now?

Five years after the taking pictures, the Klebolds spoke with David Brooks for The New York Times. In April 2001, each the Harris and Klebold households settled more than a few lawsuits from the households of victims, to the tune of $2.53 million. Tom and Sue Klebold stated they have been happy with the end result, but they have been most probably just relieved that part was over. Three years later they spoke at once to the click for the primary time since the taking pictures and the proceedings.

In the aftermath of the shootings, the Klebolds' attorney advised them that as a result of Dylan was once long gone (both Dylan and Eric killed themselves at the day of the taking pictures), they will be the targets of hate and rage. They permitted that however Sue used to be certain of 1 thing: "Dylan did not do this because of the way he was raised,'' she said. ''He did it in contradiction to the way he was raised." These are two clever, type people who have been devastated through what their son did. In an effort to understand him, they body it as a suicide. They did their best possible but their best possible wasn't excellent enough.

While talking with Barbara Walters in 2016 (by means of The Denver Post), Sue printed that she and Tom have been divorced. Like many couples who lose a kid, grief was the 3rd particular person in their marriage. Clearly this was once now not your conventional duration of mourning. Dylan was long gone and he took a number of other folks with him. All of it used to be merely too much for them to bear as a unit.

Sue Klebold is now a mental health recommend.

Sue went on to put in writing a e book titled A Mother’s Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy. It was once a New York Times bestseller, and helped push her into a brand new route. She started touring the rustic as a psychological well being suggest, where she shares her "message about her experience before and after the Columbine High School shootings," mentioned WBAY.

In September 2022, Sue visited the Oshkosh Boys and Girls Club in Oshkosh, Wisc., and spoke with students, educators, and contributors of their organization. Her presentation addresses despair in children and urges other people to be aware of the signs of mental sickness. Sue herself has admitted to lacking Dylan's indicators. To do that, Sue had to take a deep dive into the life of her personal son.

Karlene Grabner, government director of the Women’s Fund (which collaborated with the Boys and Girls Club for the development), informed the hole that Sue has "spent 15, 16 years before she went public dissecting information, journals, his entries, her entries, talking to the victims, all of that, to try to understand the whole process so hopefully we can get some information as parents on how to do our jobs better." For her, she discovered a ways too late that the best way she was communicating together with her son was now not the way he needed to be communicated with.

Not much is mentioned of Tom Klebold. After the shootings, he and Sue issued a statement pronouncing that they had no reason behind what Dylan did. "Our grief and sorrow for the victims continues to be overwhelming," they wrote, in line with The Denver Post. "We are deeply grateful to all members of the community who have offered their prayers, their compassion and their support."

When you'll't get any solutions from the previous, the most productive you can do is glance to the long run. Sue didn't want a repeat of that day. Sadly, variations of it proceed all over the place the United States. She keeps the focal point of her talks on mental well being and urges other folks to speak to each other. Just communicate.

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