Draft:Danforth shooting victim

The Survivor's Guilt: Ali Demircan's Story

Ali Demircan will never forget the harrowing events of that fateful night on July 22, 2018, when the tranquility of Toronto's Greektown was shattered by the sound of gunfire. Sitting innocently with friends on a bench at the corner of Logan and Danforth avenues, little did he know that his life was about to change forever.

As the echoes of what initially seemed like firecrackers pierced the air, Demircan's instincts kicked in. Realizing the danger, he quickly sought cover behind a stone bench, only to witness the unfolding tragedy. Amidst the chaos, a young woman, Reese Fallon, wounded but determined, approached him, pleading for help and asking him to call 911.

"I tried to help her and I told her to calm down and come here, sit on the bench," recalls Demircan, his voice trembling with emotion.

In the brief respite, Demircan found himself face to face with the grim reality of the situation. Just moments later, the tranquility shattered once again as the shooter resumed his deadly rampage. Demircan's desperate attempts to shield Fallon were thwarted as more shots rang out, leaving him with a deep sense of helplessness and guilt.

"I feel guilty that I couldn’t help that girl," he confesses, haunted by the image of Fallon's face etched in his memory. "Since that day, whenever I close my eyes, I keep thinking that her face is coming into my eyes and I can’t stop myself from thinking what could I do differently, what could I do to save her. She’s so young."

Despite his own brush with death, Demircan's thoughts remain consumed by the tragic loss of Fallon and the innocent lives senselessly taken that night. The wounds may have healed, but the scars of that traumatic experience continue to linger, a constant reminder of the fragility of life.

But amidst the darkness, Demircan finds solace in the resilience of the human spirit. Turning his pain into purpose, he channels his grief into advocacy, joining forces with others affected by the shooting to push for meaningful change.

"Together, we are stronger," he declares, his resolve unwavering. "We will not rest until justice is served, until the voices of the fallen are heard, and until such senseless tragedies are prevented."

For Demircan, the passage of time may blur the lines between past and present, but his commitment to honoring the memory of those lost remains steadfast. As he stands on the hallowed grounds of Logan and Danforth, a beacon of hope amidst the darkness, his message echoes loud and clear:

"We will never forget. We will never forgive. We will never give up."

In a world scarred by violence, Ali Demircan's story serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring strength of the human spirit and the unbreakable bonds of solidarity in the face of adversity.