DAYTON, Ohio — Wednesday marks the second anniversary of the mass shooting in Dayton’s Oregon District, a horrific day when nine innocent lives were lost.
Survivor Dion Green shared his journey to recovery and his fight against gun violence.
“I mean it’s just crazy seeing my dad’s name different places down here seeing that he’s gone,” said Green.
Green lost his best friend and father Derrick Fudge on Aug. 4, 2019 during the mass shooting in the Oregon District. And now, two years later, he said his emotions are at an all-time high.
“It feels like going into high school as a middle schooler having butterflies not knowing what to expect,” he said.
Green was there with his father at the time of the shooting. He held him in his arms minutes before he died. He said it will take a lifetime for him to heal.
“The cut might scab up, but the scar is still there and sometimes the scab falls off and the wound opens back up,” he said. “So you just have to take it day by day.”
In this file photo from Aug. 4, 2019, mourners visit a makeshift memorial outside Ned Peppers bar following a vigil at the scene of the mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
But he’s not letting this traumatic event stop him from fighting for change. He and other victims’ families recently filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the 100-round magazine used by the mass shooter.
“Those types of accessories are only used for two things: Either for war or mass shootings. And it’s not for hunting, but it is when you’re hunting people,” he said.
Green was determined to make this lawsuit happen.
“I’ve been turned down from many attorneys here in Ohio and then all of a sudden, the door opened up a little bit,” he said. “So now it’s time to push that door open and get some change.”
Not only is he fighting against gun violence, but he’s also helping provide support to the victims’ families through his Fudge Foundation. He said supporting those in need is what keeps him going.
“I try to simulate things that I needed while going through my process and I’m still traveling with my journey,” he said.
As he prepares for the memorial Wednesday night, he said he hopes that everyone can come together to unite.
“All I can do is keep asking God for strength and for him to wrap his arms around all us down here and give us the courage and the strength to be able to talk and share and cry and love,” he said.
