Coni Sanders lost her father in the Columbine shooting. "This trauma," she says, "doesn't stop when the bullets stop."
Bookends of grief, portraits of survival
Coni Sanders lost her father in the Columbine shooting. "This trauma," she says, "doesn't stop when the bullets stop."
Celeste Sloman for CNN

Published 5:50 AM EDT, Wed April 17, 2019

Saturday marks 20 years since the massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado. The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida happened 14 months ago.

Four survivors from Columbine recently agreed to meet with four of their counterparts from Parkland to speak with CNN -- and with each other.

See what they had to say.

Mei-Ling Ho-Shing, now a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was on the second floor of the school when the shooting started. She could smell the gunsmoke and hear the screams of classmates. When police entered her classroom, they had their guns drawn. As an African American, Mei-Ling says, "It was trauma on top of trauma."
Mei-Ling Ho-Shing, now a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was on the second floor of the school when the shooting started. She could smell the gunsmoke and hear the screams of classmates. When police entered her classroom, they had their guns drawn. As an African American, Mei-Ling says, "It was trauma on top of trauma."
Celeste Sloman for CNN
Zach Cartaya has struggled with suicidal thoughts in the years since the 1999 massacre. He says it's important for Parkland students to seek help and undergo therapy. "I want you to be more aware of the issues," he says, "so that you don't make the same mistakes I did."
Zach Cartaya has struggled with suicidal thoughts in the years since the 1999 massacre. He says it's important for Parkland students to seek help and undergo therapy. "I want you to be more aware of the issues," he says, "so that you don't make the same mistakes I did."
Celeste Sloman for CNN
Columbine survivor Laura Farber directed the documentary "We Are Columbine." She tells the Parkland students not to ignore their own needs. "Be selfish," she says. "For me, predictability is what I need in my life, because I was expecting to go to lunch on the 20th, and my whole world changed."
Columbine survivor Laura Farber directed the documentary "We Are Columbine." She tells the Parkland students not to ignore their own needs. "Be selfish," she says. "For me, predictability is what I need in my life, because I was expecting to go to lunch on the 20th, and my whole world changed."
Celeste Sloman for CNN
Demitri Hoth was a senior during the Parkland shooting. He said he found it isolating to go to college so soon after the shooting because his new classmates couldn't relate. "I had no contact with anyone else because everyone else was away," he says.
Demitri Hoth was a senior during the Parkland shooting. He said he found it isolating to go to college so soon after the shooting because his new classmates couldn't relate. "I had no contact with anyone else because everyone else was away," he says.
Celeste Sloman for CNN
Amy Over was a senior in 1999. She tells the Parkland students that there will be "really dark days" in the years ahead, but you'll learn coping skills to help manage the pain. "You're going to find what works for you," she says, "and what doesn't work for you."
Amy Over was a senior in 1999. She tells the Parkland students that there will be "really dark days" in the years ahead, but you'll learn coping skills to help manage the pain. "You're going to find what works for you," she says, "and what doesn't work for you."
Celeste Sloman for CNN
Brandon Abzug was friends with Sydney Aiello, whose suicide last month shook Parkland again. He says it's more vital than ever to stay in touch with every survivor. "Surviving a mass shooting stays with you," he says. "It's inescapable."
Brandon Abzug was friends with Sydney Aiello, whose suicide last month shook Parkland again. He says it's more vital than ever to stay in touch with every survivor. "Surviving a mass shooting stays with you," he says. "It's inescapable."
Celeste Sloman for CNN
"It terrifies me to know that this is going to be throughout my life, forever," says Sari Kaufman, who was a sophomore at Marjory Stoneman Douglas on February 14, 2018. She says it was important to meet with Columbine survivors because "it was kind of like seeing my life in the future. It's going to be a lifelong journey because of what we experienced."
"It terrifies me to know that this is going to be throughout my life, forever," says Sari Kaufman, who was a sophomore at Marjory Stoneman Douglas on February 14, 2018. She says it was important to meet with Columbine survivors because "it was kind of like seeing my life in the future. It's going to be a lifelong journey because of what we experienced."
Celeste Sloman for CNN