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FeedFrank DeAngelis - 10 Years Later
Frank DeAngelis was 44 years old when the world that he had put his life into, a school he had coached in, taught in, and administered to took on a terrible and, from then on, instantly recognizable connotation in the world lexicon. As the principal of Columbine High School, after the events of April 20, 1999, Frank's life has never been the same. My son attended high school there one summer, but other than that, I didn't know much about Columbine. And I certainly never knew Frank DeAngelis.
I didn't know that Frank listened to my morning show on 630 KHOW. Yet, one day, through one of his media spokespeople, I was invited to meet him for lunch to discuss the events of April 20. We've been good friends ever since.
Very few people have come through the crucible that Frank has. In the military, there is a phenomenon known as the thousand-yard stare. It was a term first given to Marines in the South Pacific during the Second World War and refers to the unfocused gaze of a battle-weary soldier. They looked yet couldn't see anything but what they had been through. On that day we met, some 10 years ago, DeAngelis had that stare. He still talks about his reactions when a starter pistol goes off at a track meet or a balloon bursts or when he hears helicopters overhead. The tragedy has never escaped Frank, and Frank has never escaped the tragedy. He promised the Columbine freshman class of 1999 that he would remain principal until they graduated. Then, he believed, he was going to retire. Today, Frank is still on the job.
Frank DeAngelis "” Mr. D., as his students call him "” really doesn't have any answers for the events of that horrible day. At some point, I guess, answers don't matter. I believe he's given up on asking "why," and he just accepts the "is." The long-term burden of what happened that day falls on the shoulders of a very brave, decent, and kind man. In the aftermath of the murder of Emily Keyes at Platte Canyon High School and the attack at Virginia Tech, Frank was there to offer support to the communities. The pain in his eyes, the thousand-yard stare, the endless discussions about high school cliques, subcultures, and bullying "” they do not define the life and times of Frank DeAngelis. I know Frank would have given his life that day 10 years ago to stop the injuries and deaths that occurred. He suffers from survivor's guilt, and it makes him a kind and gentle soul. When people talk about the events at Columbine, they don't always remember the man who has endured so much yet continues to offer all the love and kindness that he can. Lots of things are said about Frank, lots of things written. I'm here to tell you, he's a good man.
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