New evidence was released to the public last Thursday from the October 24, 2014, shooting at Marysville Pilchuck (MP). More than 1400 pages of text messages to friends, family members and his ex-girlfriend revealed the hurt in the shooter’s mind.

Despite this trial and suffering, one thing stayed constant: in order to heal we needed to forgive and love.

Through this tragedy, I saw a community come together.

Tribal members and non-tribal members supported and loved each other; current students, family and alumni of the school wore red and white together and forgave the shooter.

Michelle Galasso, mother of victim Zoe Galasso, said in an interview from NBC News, “In order for me to heal from this, I have to forgive.”

When violence, hate and abuse surrounds us, it’s hard to believe or even fathom that there is healing.

Three years before the MP shooting, another tragedy stuck the town of Marysville.

Popular student and athlete Juan Mendoza died in a car crash on 108th street, also known as “roller-coaster hill.”

Two other passengers were injured due to the crash.

The road’s steep hill and terrible sightlines caused Mendoza to lose control and crash into a tree off the side of road.

Many were affected, sad and even angry. I was affected, sad and angry.

Yet we as a community began to heal. We loved each other and made something out of anger.

Spring of 2012 was the first annual Juan Mendoza Memorial Run, a fundraiser for the Juan Mendoza Memorial Scholarship.

We as a community supported one another to gift Brendan Smith, now a WSU Cougar, the first scholarship in a tradition that continues today.

We hear stories on the news of deep tragedy and violence, but at the same time, we hear of love, forgiveness and mercy in those very same stories.

Take the shooting in South Carolina as an example. On June 17 of this year, Dylann Roof shot nine people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.

With all the sadness and confusion around the incident, we saw the families of the victims forgive, love, pray and offer the shooter an opportunity to have Christ change his heart.

Statements like ‘I forgive you,’ ‘we welcome you Wednesday night in our Bible study with open arms,’ and ‘may God bless you’ flooded the courtroom.

I’m not sure about you, but my mind was blown when I heard this. Even though so much hate occurred in this one event, there was also love and peace.

This is a phenomenal example of Jesus’ power in us.

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” Jesus said in Matthew 5:44 of the Bible.

Michael Myers, coordinator of religious studies program at WSU, said the Bible can be relevant for the person reading it today.

“I think (the Old Testament is) totally relevant, not always directly relevant, but the kinds of things that concern people in those days are so interesting to compare to now-a-days,” Myers said.

The Bible gives followers of Jesus something to hold onto as truth. Despite the pain we receive as we go through life, one thing is for certain: have mercy, forgive others, support people, and love always.

Amberlynne Umayam is a communication major from Marysville. She can be contacted at 335-2290 or by [email protected]. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of the staff of The Daily Evergreen or those of the Office of Student Media.