Ginger Littleton turned out to be the best guest of the day on America’s Newsroom.
We didn’t pre-book her of course. Yesterday we had no idea who she was, but boy am I glad we met her today.
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VIDEO: Click here to watch Martha’s moving interview with Ginger Littleton.
VIDEO: Watch the shocking video of the gunman open firing at the Panama City school board meeting.
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Ginger Littleton is one tough cookie. A real hero. She is a School Board member in Panama City, Florida, she has three daughters and she is still in shock.
This is one of those stories, that although it was tragic for one man, in a strange way it makes us all feel more alive in its telling.
Yesterday afternoon, in the middle of a perfectly pleasant school board meeting, a strange man stepped to the podium, mumbled, took out a can of spray paint and blasted a big red “V” for vendetta on the wall. Nobody knew what he was doing, but they knew it wasn’t good…
Then came the gun. He pointed it right at the Superintendent’s face. A nice man, he would later swear that God stood between him and the bullet that was shot right at him.
In his frenzy, Clay Duke let the women leave the room, including the sole woman on the board, Ginger Littleton.
But Ginger did not run out to her car. She did not get a safe distance from the deranged would-be killer. This mom of three went back in.
She saw a chance to save the others, and she took it. She went back down the hallway behind Mr. Duke, snuck up behind him and swung one of those too-big and too-overloaded handbags we all carry at his gun-toting arm.
How about that?
The provoked predator swung around, knocking her on the ground and threatening her at close range and calling her a “Stupid B___.” Ginger said at that moment, she was inclined to agree with him about the “stupid” part.
He then inexplicably let her go a second time. But Ginger had changed the dynamic in that room. She distracted him. She got him away from the elevated platform where his victims were seated and she gave the Security guard, Mike Jones, another few seconds to get closer and take him down with a wounding gunshot.
When I told Ginger Littleton that I was glad she could join us today, it took on a much larger meaning than it typically does.
She spoke of the horror of staring at that man, knowing that he was ready to die and ready to end their lives as well. One thinks of all the others, the children of Columbine, the Amish school, and Virginia Tech who saw that look and didn’t live to tell us about it.
These people were grateful. These board members today spoke from the heart about each other, they spoke with dignity and humility.
One could not help but recognize their sincerity, and their true appreciation for each other, for their families and their happiness to be standing there, alive. In my work, I am often struck and in awe of the bravery and decency of ordinary Americans in situations like these.
This Christmas, we all can learn from their joy. Their joy in that moment when they went home yesterday and let it all out. Cried, hugged their spouses and children and thanked God for life.
Ginger Littleton and her big purse. That took a lot of guts and we commend her. Merry Christmas, Ginger, and thanks for joining us today.
For another story of a brave good Samaritan, check out this video of a woman who saved a police officer during an attack.
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