Polly Sheppard, a survivor of the June 17, 2015 church massacre in Charleston, South Carolina, and the Rev. Anthony Thompson, who lost his wife during the shooting, describe the event and explain how they've been able to forgive the perpetrator. This program will also highlight the movie Emanuel, which tells the stories of the victims and survivors of the shooting.
Polly Sheppard, a survivor of the June 17, 2015 church massacre in Charleston, South Carolina, and the Rev. Anthony Thompson, who lost his wife during the shooting, describe the event and explain how they've been able to forgive the perpetrator. This program will also highlight the movie Emanuel, which tells the stories of the victims and survivors of the shooting.
The Rev. Anthony Thompson is the pastor of Holy Trinity Reformed Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. His wife, Myra, was murdered while leading a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church as a white supremacist burst in, killing her and eight more victims. The Rev. Thompson has authored a book about the incident and the need to forgive the perpetrator titled Called to Forgive: The Charleston Church Shooting, a Victim's Husband, and the Path to Healing and Peace. The Thompsons have three children and six grandchildren.
Polly Sheppard is one of five survivors of the June 17, 2015 church massacre in Charleston, South Carolina, during which nine African-Americans were killed by a white supremacist. She was friends with all of the victims who were attending a weekly Bible study. The shooter allowed Polly to live so that she could "tell the story" of his rampage. Polly has indeed shared her story, though not in the way the perpetrator intended – instead, she has been sharing a story of healing and forgiveness. She has appeared on major media outlets including CNN, ABC, and The Today Show.
