Survivor Of Kalamazoo Shooting Spree Making 'Remarkable' Recovery
KALAMAZOO (WWJ) -- A friend of one of the victims in the Kalamazoo shooting spree is speaking out about the woman's road to recovery.
Scott McCloughan, friend of 26-year-old Tiana Carruthers -- one of the two surviving victims in the Feb. 20 shooting rampage by Uber driver Jason Dalton -- spoke to WWJ Newsradio 950 about her recovery on Saturday.
"She's recovering far beyond what the doctors initially thought would be possible at this point," said McCloughan, who knows Carruthers from their time together in the Kalamazoo Youth for Christ youth group.
Carruthers was shot four times and suffered two broken legs. Steel rods were surgically inserted into her legs to help the recovery process.
"The recovery is a long road and she's taking small steps every day," McCloughan said. "It's just been remarkable to see how well she's doing."
McCloughan said Carruthers was back on her feet and walking only one week after the incident.
"I could hardly believe it when I saw it myself," McCloughan said. "She started taking steps and she also has gone up some stairs. There's some little steps like that [which] are big for her and they're all steps that are leading her back to life as normal."
Carruthers broke her silence last week when she recorded a video message for attendees at a community concert which was put on to raise money to help fund her treatment. In the video, Carruthers gave thanks for the support she's been receiving.
"I think the emotional and spiritual elements of this are still ahead of us," McCloughan said. "She has processed it a little bit and we're looking at getting her into some counseling just to be able to process some more."
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for Carruthers' medical expenses.
