The woman who rescued a two-year-old boy whose parents were killed in the Highland Park massacre has spoken out and recalled the horrific moment she came across the child.
Little Aiden McCarthy was left confused and bloodied underneath his father after the 21-year-old Highland Park shooter opened fire on the crowd during the Fourth of July celebrations in the city.
Once the gunfire was over, Lauren Silva rushed to the victims’ aid and came across the 2-year-old child after being alerted of the boy’s whereabouts by her boyfriend’s son.
The mother-of-two then immediately pulled Aiden from the arms of his dead father and took him to a garage that was made into a makeshift shelter.
“When I first took him and he kept saying, ‘Are my mom and dad OK?’ I said, ‘Everyone’s OK.’ I said ‘Yes, everyone’s fine.’ I had to parent him. I had to tell him it was fine when it wasn’t fine,” Lauren recalled in an interview with CBS News.
Speaking to Today, the brave lady went on to reveal that the boy was gargling when he was found and that his father died protecting him from incoming bullets.
“He had that kid in his arms, and his final act of his life was bravery,” she said in a tribute to the boy’s father.
After taking Aiden to a nearby garage, Lauren asked another couple, Dana and Greg Ring, to watch over the child so that she could check up on his parents.
Upon her return to the bloody scene, however, the mom quickly realized that both of Aiden’s parents were already dead and that the boy had become an orphan in an instant.
“I could feel my insides start to shake. I went behind their car and I could feel the beginning part of a panic attack. I was not holding Aiden,” Lauren added.
“So I went behind the car. My hands started shaking, and I collected myself and I did what you’re not supposed to do with a panic attack – and I did not feel it through, because I knew where it would go.”
Speaking of her decision to lie to the orphaned boy about his parents, she continued: “I had to do exactly what I did for Aiden. I had to parent. I had to tell him things that weren’t true, and decide what was protecting and what was being honest.”
Lauren’s recount of the horrific event comes as Good Samaritans raised more than $3 million for Aiden on GoFundMe.
An update shared on the fundraiser reads: “We would like to first start out by saying THANK YOU! Thank you to all who have shared messages of sympathy, hope and support during this time. The family of Aiden would like everyone to know that he is being loved and spoiled by all those who are close to him.
“We will be keeping this GoFundMe open as we have heard from many around the world that this is providing some form of healing for such a senseless act. No one should ever have to endure this kind of loss especially at such a young age.”
The message continues: “Every cent of this GoFundMe will go to the care of Aiden and his future. We are all extremely grateful and overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from across the entire world.
“We also plan to capture all of the comments shared in this GoFundMe and create a book for Aiden. We all want Aiden to know how much he is loved.”
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