Nearly four years after a gunman opened fire on a bus carrying University of Virginia football players back from Washington, D.C., a new documentary offers the most detailed account yet from those who survived. Produced by the NFL's film company, Tragedy to Triumph draws on memories from players, their coach and victims' families. It premieres Sunday night at the Paramount Theater in Charlottesville as part of this year's Virginia Film Festival.
A night of fear and an active shooter alert
The attack unfolded as the bus was coming to a stop. Police sent texts warning of an active shooter on campus, urging students to shelter in place and, if confronted, to run, hide or fight. Mike Hollins, who was wounded, recalls seeing teammate Lavelle stand up and then fall, with the gunman standing over him. That moment, he says, is when he told the driver to open the doors and get everyone out.
An arrest, unanswered questions and a community in mourning
Authorities arrested the suspect the following day, bringing relief to a shaken community. The motive, however, remained unclear for a time, and attention turned to the recovery of two wounded students, one of them a teammate of the three players who died. The documentary centers on how those involved have tried to make sense of that uncertainty and loss.
Choosing how to carry the grief
In one of the film's most striking passages, a speaker describes the choices left after such a loss: to hold onto anger, hatred or guilt, or to reach for forgiveness, family, faith and football again. The documentary frames the team's return to competition in those terms rather than as a simple sports comeback.
Return to the field
Hollins's return drew national attention when he ran for a touchdown after recovering from his injuries, a moment captured in the broadcast call. Two seasons after the shooting, the Cavaliers reached the Atlantic Coast Conference championship, a run that many in Charlottesville saw as a way of honoring their fallen friends through the sport they shared.