Pastor Jerry Gumm of Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, is reflecting on the mass shooting that occurred at his church one year ago, leaving two people dead and two others injured, including himself.
A Year of Recovery
Pastor Gumm was shot at least five times and spent time in a coma at UK’s Trauma Center before transferring to Cardinal Hill for rehabilitation. Despite the physical and emotional scars, Gumm says his faith and the support of his community have carried him through.
Gumm’s wife, Beverly, and daughter, Christina Combs, were among those killed in the shooting. Gumm was unable to attend their funerals due to the severity of his injuries.
A Message of Hope
Through the grief, Gumm says he has found strength in his faith and the support of his community. Many members of the congregation stayed to help rebuild the church, and Gumm is grateful for their love and support.
Gumm says he refuses to let the shooting define his life’s work and plans to continue serving the Lord. This October will mark 55 years of Gumm pastoring Richmond Road Baptist Church, and he hopes the church will continue on for decades longer.
Original reporting: WTVQ (Lexington) — read the source article.