These Two Brothers Were Texting Each Other From Inside The Florida Shooting And The Messages Are Heartbreaking

A text conversation between two brothers at the Florida shooting and a video from inside the school
Twitter / @SzZeif and Twitter / @Melody_Ball

On February 14, 17 people were killed in the Florida shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. As the nation continues to reel from the tragedy, survivors from the mass shooting are flooding social media to tell their stories, many of which are, quite honestly, hard to read.

It was just another day at school for Sam Zeif when the shots rang out and students and teachers began taking cover. But Sam wasn’t just worrying for his own safety in that moment — he was worrying about his brother, who was on the floor above him.

Sam tweeted screenshots of their text conversation in the midst of the shooting, and honestly, they’re heartbreaking. Their fear and their love for one another make it a little hard to read.

Twitter / @SzZeif
Twitter / @SzZeif
Twitter / @SzZeif

Honestly, if the tweet didn’t get me, the text exchange did. Can you imagine being in a situation like that with your sibling, not knowing whether you’ll both get out alive? Can you imagine that fear, not only that you fear for your own life, but for your brother’s?

The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School will not be silenced. They will tell their stories, they will speak their minds, they will make a difference — even if they’re just reminding you that life is short, and that you should love the people in your life wholeheartedly while you can. Thought Catalog Logo Mark

Callie is a writer, editor, and publisher at Thought Catalog. Her debut book, ‘The Words We Left Behind,’ was released in January 2024.

Keep up with Callie on Instagram, Twitter and calliebyrnes.com

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