Teen Who Climbed Out of Columbine Window Recounts Being Saved in Shooting (2024)

By

Inside Edition Staff

Patrick Ireland can smile now as he hangs out at home with his wife and their three beautiful children.

But 20 years ago, his world was alteredas he became known as “the boy in the window” after pullinghimself across the Columbine High School library to save his own life.

Ireland was shot twice in the head, and with his right arm hanging useless at his side, the 17-year-old clambered painfully out of the library and into the arms of waiting SWAT team members.

"I rolled over on my back and began to push myself with my left leg that still worked and just wound my way between tables and chairs and backpacks, eventually, I made my way over to the windowsill," he told Inside Edition.

Incredibly, he was able to limp to an ambulance. Surgeons were able to save his life, but he needed to learn how to walk again. Later that year, Ireland was elected Columbine's homecoming king.

The Columbine gunmen murdered 12 students and a teacher on April 20, 1999.

Now, as the 20th anniversary of the massacre approaches, Ireland is 37 and is a financial adviser, still living in Coloradoa half-hour from his old school.

He met his wife, Kacie, while studying business finance at Colorado State University, and they have three children.

"It really is hard to believe it has been 20 years since the shooting. There are still some residual right-side weakness and some motor skills on my right side, but for the most part, I regained a lot of my strength and my mobility," he said of the pain that still lingers from the shooting.

Ireland said he has learned to forgive what happened. He said, "I personally feel there is good in the world."

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