RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — On Thursday trauma survivors thanked the doctors and nurses that saved their lives at Wake Med Hospital as it was part of the hospital’s first ever trauma survivor event. 

One survivor talked about being in a car accident and doctors saving her life, another talked about the extensive care he received during physical therapy and occupational therapy. 

All of them mentioned the doctors and nurses and care teams that took extraordinary care of them with empathy and compassion. 

One of the speakers was Lynn Gardner, who was shot during Raleigh’s Hedingham mass shooting in October of 2022 and spent 98 days in the hospital. Gardner said she wouldn’t have made it through without her care team and they’re part of the reason why she’s living a happy life today. 

“It was just warm to look around and survey and see some of the faces that I remember, not that I can remember all of them,” she said. “It’s just good to know that if I have an issue I know where to go because I know I’m going to be treated very well.”

Governor Roy Cooper was also at the event. He thanked the staff and said one focus of lawmakers needs to be on gun violence to cut down on the amount of trauma victims in the state.