Columbine father Michael Shoels speaks out to Denver7: Full, unedited interview

Mr SCH say your first and last name and who you are my name is Michael sches and I'm just a a father victimized I'm just going to get started right up front I'm a father that was victimized by this plague that's going on in America today and that's violence I mean so that's who I am I'm the father of Isaiah shows he was one of the victims that was taken out so early in his life by behind this plag that that's going on in America today not only here in America but we talking about the whole world now I mean we need to bring it back together and understand that it's destruction is coming to us but we going to get into that later we'll get into that okay what I really want to say first of all is we want to give our deepest condolences to those families who have lost children and lost all loved ones behind this plague that's going on in America today and that's violence we want to give our deepest condolence to those fam families because we have been there where they are today so we know how they feel so we give our deepest condolences to those families yeah all right and you've been living this grief for 25 years yes it still is I mean it's no accident that I make two trips to Colorado a year the visit my son I mean I I I mean I absolutely no if fan buts about it because it's my responsibility to make sure that his place stay neat and clean and and you know presentable so I make that my that's a duty that's not only some my want that's my duty to do that who was Isaiah beautiful he was energetic I mean he was humorous I mean any man in the world I ain't going to say America here in Tennessee or what any man in America in the world would love to have him as a son because he was very he was a respectful young man he understood what life was even at his age you know so uh all I can say he was Mr Beautiful Mr Beautiful Mr beautiful that's it what were his likes what did he like to do everything he most of all he he loved making people laugh I mean that was his I mean that was his thing I mean he was a jokester I mean he had it he was a natural I mean he he could have been one of the biggest and one of the greatest but he had he didn't have a chance to prove it he didn't have a chance to make it so uh we can only assume uh should I say we can only wonder if he would have made it you understand what I'm saying so that's all we can do about that I think I read somewhere he liked music like you oh well most definitely I mean I'm that's in his DNA I mean because I mean you know I've been in music I was in music before they even got here you know what I'm saying I've been a music producer ever since 1980 wow and a music executive and uh it it have had it ups and downs but I had had it together at the time of this tragedy you understand what I'm saying matter of fact we was getting ready to sign a real big deal at the time of this tragedy a record deal mhm and uh what it is is when this happened it just took everything away from me you understand what I'm saying I mean it just drained everything because that was my legacy you see when I found out that he's no longer breathe the I that was I mean that took everything away that made everything you know what I'm saying I hate to say it and sound selfish but that almost made me forget everything you know but I had to struggle because we a family I mean you know I had other family that needed me at the time you understand and I had to stand strong even though it hurts me I mean it still hurts right now to talk about it but it need to be talked about because this this disease or should I say this anger and anxiety and hatred that's causing these kids to kill one another needs to stop and they need to understand that life is only for a season and they need to try to live it as long as they can see and that's what we done let that's what we done let slip through the cracks we done swept all these things up under a rug and now that done fested up now they coming back out like a old saying I hate to I hate to quote other things but uh like old saying said the the the the hen came on the roost you understand what I'm saying so that's what's going on I mean now we just need to start doing something about it you understand and and I mean but you probably want to know what we are doing today my family and all I can say is one day at a time because I'll be lying if I say we going came up with some closure I'll be lying if I say we done find a path to where we can heal we're going that way I mean believe me we are human and we are fighting that way we we haven't stopped living because we know you need to keep living to live you understand what I'm saying so we are fighting to stay as normal as we can but we'll never ever be able to replace that link and been torn away from this family chain that's just all there to it so let's just get that out the way and let's just not even talk about that no more because that is gone that's a beautiful that's a beautiful part of this family that was taken way too early behind this disease this disease that we call violence today you see so until we start working on the antidote yeah for this disease it's going to get worse and like they say like cancer like ganging like I hate I'm going to give all these names so that's how bad it is today it's going to Fester it's going to keep on it's going to keep on growing it's going to keep on gr it's going to get out of hand and when that happen uh well we we know what happen when some blow up right it's gone and that's what's going to happen to us if we don't start working on the roots of our foundations you see what I'm saying and the children are our future and the children are the root of our nation and if we keep on letting them get killed or we keep on letting them dying so early what we going to do Michael how long did you live in Littleton uh I stayed in Littleton uh three years went before this happened three three years before yeah three years before it happened and you had other children that went to school as well well one uh my son Anthony he's a chief Master Sergeant in the Air Force right now and my daughter that was in there she's a a sale executive so and U in my you know my other son my baby son he's an engineer and of course my oldest daughter she Nasha she's uh you know she's there in Phoenix but you know she was uh she's uh sales Executive also so very successful yeah but so we did we we did we kept our we kept our end of the bar we did the best we could with what we had left and uh me and my wife struggle still today about our grandchildren but like I say some sometimes things happen family don't do what you know family falls apart and we're there to collect the village see that's what we have to do all over the world we going to have to come back together we going to have to stop letting the government put their part in it us the people need to start being the people again and when we start being the people again we going to realize that we need each other and if we find out we can if we can find each other again this going to be a better Nation until we can find each other it's going to be hell I'm it's going to be a living hell until we find one another the secret is it was built this way it was built for everyone to help and assist and network and assist each other it wouldn't help to tear each other down it wouldn't help to see I have more than you it wouldn't help to see if I kill you I'm going to take what you got and then I mean it wasn't built like that it was built for us to come together as a a unit and see therefore we can prove to our children that there's other things you can do without going out there creating this disease until we do until we find each other and bring that Village back together this disease is going to keep on going well let's talk a little bit more about Village and and community so immediately after this tragedy what was it like for you and your family while you were still in this community it was it was uh uh I don't like Downing anyone I don't like Downing any situation because I don't use that as a crutch you understand what I'm saying I don't use any anything that's going to bring someone else or something down if I can't help it rise I can't help it get up I'm going to step back because I'm not ever never going to be the cause of someone be put down even though a whole lot of situation CA that but I never be part of it you understand what I'm saying and I figure if we all get that attitude this will be a better place I mean it's it's it's like this here I have a old saying it ain't what I feel this was real cuz we got to deal with reality today you better put them feelings aside because that's why the America is in the situation we in today is these feelings you understand what I'm saying and we don't let these children put these feelings ahead of themselves that's why they creating these things that's going on in these schools that's why they creating these things going on in the churches that's why they creating these things going on in the movies that's why they created I I can go on on and on you said it's not what you feel it's was real it was real so what was your reality then at that time my reality that time it was terrible I mean I had faith in the system okay not too much but I had faith in the system and uh I left I put my guards down only because I heard one saying saying if you are able to do something do it if you want to do it if you're able to do it now I didn't say go out there and do something that you wasn't able to do that you trying to do I'm saying if you're able to do do it and I did it I took my family to a situation that probably probably shouldn't have did it but I did why shouldn't you have I mean because under circumstances I mean we had problems after we got there with this certain group of children you know by my children being minorities in this school I mean and you know in this District I mean it was upscale District I mean beautiful a beautiful place that's one thing that captured us I mean it's a beautiful Community but it's sick the the the the people they some people are beautiful I mean they just don't let their children get away and I believe that that's what happened you see what I'm saying that's why these parents going to have to start being more accountable for their children start getting them when they babies you understand what I'm saying start getting them before they start talking back before they start telling you what to do you see what I'm saying that's when you need to get them you know let them know that that's that's not the way to go I mean you going to have to listen to me I'm I'm daddy I'm mommy um whoever you know you going to have to start respecting your you know your elders you see what I'm saying that's what we need to start teaching these babies these children you were one of the first to call for accountability from the parents of the shooters uhhuh was that a lonely walk uh well it very it still is and only and the what made me stand up and really feel that something is going to happen something is going to get done is when they got them parents there in Michigan I hate to speak against them but blessed their hearts that mean they probably was doing what they figured they had to do but see they let their children dictate now you it's no way that that in their mind that they said I'm going to go buy him a gun to take the school I promise you he asked them to get him a gun so he could take it to school see I I promise you that's what happened and they have to be accountable for what he did and I think that the right thing was done they needed to be accountable so they have to do what everybody else do when you be the cause of murder you go you go down and I think that was the best thing that could have happened because I really believe that if that would happened back in 1999 some accountability we wouldn't be having a whole lot of these shooting going on today what what do you wish would have happened I wish there would have been more accountability I mean uh what did that look like for you the the way it looked is uh somebody it was a conspiracy I mean uh it's no secret I mean everybody know I been saying it but I hate to keep using that as a crutch I mean I know for sure that you don't have a crime where people have been murdered and you ordered the timeline to be destroyed I know for sure that you don't take the film the actual film that you took in the school and take it and have it edited before you let somebody see it you wanted to see the unit I wanted to see the unit with we never a we were never able to see it so now what you think I mean you know what I'm saying when you breathe swell it you going to get swell it and what I mean by that when you breathe hell you get hell you were heavily criticized yes and still is I mean I know that what do people say I know I know people talk about I'm I'm the I'm that old I'm that dude that is Tred to do this and and do that and and talking about he don't know what he's talking about he's just speaking out of turn I mean you know he I mean you know you you ain't you can't run your own kids and I done heard all of that but that's not a situation with me that's not a problem with me because I can take criticism matter of fact I love it because the more you criticize me the better I'm going to work to keep you from criticizing me so that means that I'm going to get better in one way or another it might not be the way you like it but I'm going to get better so that's where I see it you've also been accused of using the race card immediately I mean mean I wouldn't have been out there where I was if I was that you understand what I'm saying if I didn't believe if I didn't believe people can work together Ain't No Way in the world I to put my babies out there if I didn't believe people can Co be together you know to to cooperate I wouldn't have put my babies out there because I had a I could have went anywhere I could I didn't have to go out there so I don't want to I mean they can say what they want to say about that let it so be but the point is I lost my child the point is he was a beautiful soul that was gone way too early you understand what I'm saying and that'll never change so I want these families to know it's it I'm praying and hoping that they find a way to get better I mean believe me cuz I been there where they are and we have to fight every day to keep keep our sanity going you know because that was he was a very important part of this family we had big plans for him he was going to be one of those that take us to the next level you understand what I'm saying and they destroyed that for me they destroyed that for my family they destroyed our world when they knocked him off like that because they stopped me from doing what I was doing because I was no longer able and mentally or physically able to do what I was doing dealing with those you know dealing with certain act and dealing with certain people I wasn't able to do that anymore and I put it in someone else's hands and we see what that happen we see what happened with that I'm was sitting here 25 years later wishing I would have did should have should have would and could have now I'm at the point to where I need to do it it's not a it's not a a want it's not a a have to it's my duty to do something about it now it's been 25 years and I've been quiet I've been subtle my family ain't ain't bothered nobody and we just got in our little corner and and try to make it ourselves you understand what I'm saying but it's it's it's un come to the point that somebody got to start talking about it us as a people going to have to say enough is enough we need to come on and bring this Village back together and let's save our children that's what we going to have to do and and speaking of the Village are you in touch with any of the other families well by I I not personally but I have my sister she stays in touch with everyone because see we actually not there you see what I'm saying and we don't know what actually what's going on there and to be honest with you we try to stay our distance until we actually can actually face it it's hard for me to go back to Denver I'm going to be honest with you it's hard for me to go back but I have to it's my duty to go back my baby is buried there that's where his final resting place is and I have to make sure that he's okay I used to put him to bed at night and I still put him to bed I do it every time I go I do it every time I it's must I have to rain sleep or snow I have to go I will make two trips two trips a year under no circumstance I'll make two trips a year to visit my baby we do as a family my wife I and you know our children we make we make we do that twice a year so it's hard to obviously it's hard to physically go back to that place and it's and it's hard for you to speak with other families oh yeah it's but it's it's time for me to it's it's time it's time it's time and and I wouldn't and I wouldn't have accepted this interview I'm going to be honest with you as y'all can see I'm not joking we've been we've been behind the scenes for 25 years you know not bothering nobody not getting in nobody's situation but now it's time when I go to see babies dying I mean we talking about babies at sand at uh uh Sandy Creek or that particular one and we got just this one in Nashville when you go to see babies now we talking about babies dying from gum violence it's time it's time for somebody to do something and by my son being one of those victims I feel it's my duty to start it out I think it's my duty to say let's start stomping out this hate let's start stomping out this violence let's start let's Caan Victory back let's get the I mean I mean our government is strong and doing what they need to do but still of the kids's business you understand what I'm saying we need to come together as a family we need to come together as a village and win our children back that's what we need to do until that happen we going to keep on going through this plague violence when was the last time you did an interview about 13 years ago 1 years 13 years ago and I didn't want to do that one but my wife told me I had to it because there was a you know it was it was time to come out to my shf cuz I was really so I was really doing bad at this time you know what I'm saying I'm doing a whole lot better believe me I'm doing a whole lot better but mentally I was doing really really bad at this time because you know no matter how you know it's not your fault that your child get taken away so I know where these families is coming from I don't care how you know it's not your fault but the guilt and the pain and anxiety and the sadness and the madness all get boggled up together you got a stew going on and it ain't going to work and that's what was going on with me what made you decide to do the interview with me at Nashville shooting when I seen them B them carrying them babies out that's what did it and I think now that was a pinnacle of me you better open your damn mouth oh you better open your mouth because it's time it's time I'm going to start calling out to these families I mean there's them lost people that know how it feel to lose someone we need to come together I don't care where we are in America today I don't care where we are in the world if you hear this I'm crying out for y'all to call me or call someone to get in contact with me let's get together let's start talking about this let's do it as a nation let's get this Village back together just maybe just maybe we're not too late to save our children that's powerful yes and I meant that from my heart so you're ready now to to continue speaking I'm ready this less something out hate it's going to be D again it's F it's going to open back up I'm going to I'm going to open it back up it's a nonprofit organization that I had going all over the world and not only in America but all over the world now I'm going to start it back because it's time for us to bring this Village back together and I'm not only talking about uh your ethnic group I'm talking about us we all brothers and sisters when you look at it we all members of the same race that's the human race it shouldn't be no ethnic color shouldn't be no different blood because me and you probably even have the same blood me and him me and Mike probably have the same blood but the point is the skin shade C that's why they say I use that race card I don't use a race card I'm just real I'm I took my feelings out of it a long time ago so it's not what I feel it's what's real and I deal with reality I don't deal with hopeful I deal with reality what's going on now and if you don't fix now later you can forget it you understand what I'm saying if you don't fix the past or you don't fix the present the future is gone that's what I mean and that's what I mean by our baby if we we don't fix the roots we don't dig that up and start a ferti putting new fertilizer in around them children letting them know that life is important well we going we might as well go and started letting it crust over and just wait till it's dead that's what we need to do but if y'all are ready to take this Village back if y'all are ready to grab hands I don't care where you are in the world today let's grab hands and let's make a connection let's see if we can get our get our Victory back let's see if we can get our children back let's see if we can move this the government out of the the family business let's do it Michael do you have any regrets when it comes to this this tragedy in particular I have regress when it come to all tragedies because I could have did I always feel like I could have did something about it if I started speaking about to start uh screaming out to these children because I can get with children I can I know how to get through the children you understand what I'm saying I done did so so many things I done I done had so dealt with so many groups I done I done coach football I done coach baseball I coach my son from on up to where he got you understand what I'm saying so I know how to deal with children and if you don't start at the root or you don't start them where they can understand you got to get people don't understand all they want to say guns this and guns that and guns this and guns that it's not the guns killing these kids it's the kids killing the kids and the reason that's happening is because of the psychic it's because of what they thinking you understand what I'm saying if you don't get into psychic well you can forget it because this shell ain't going to do nothing but follow what the psychics say do if it's something uh tell you to do something you going to do it that's why these things is going on in these schools today that's why it's going on in these malls I mean they still they feel like that's something they need to do they don't have to do that you see what I'm saying it's got something that cause them to do that and a whole I mean it might be mental capacity sometime but it was taught see a whole lot of people don't understand a whole lot of this stuff might or should have not been but it was taught at home you understand what I'm saying and I hate to bring it back up 25 years years ago but them SWAT stickers didn't put their self on them walls them skulls and bones didn't put their self on my walls that we was having our house being built that's why we ented in Houston we we went we had we having a house built in in uh Denver Colorado and Green Valley Ranch and uh someone evangelized the house before we even got they put the paneling and stuff in it this is after Isaiah died yeah they put skulls and bones all through the house and they painted the windows now this is a brand new house there these were there were swastikas too on yeah we know where I mean they let us know that we needed to get to get out of there and I did I wasn't putting my family in no more Jeopardy you see what I'm saying now if I was by myself they would have had hell tell the captain to kill my baby but I had other family to think about so I you know we left that we got out of there you mentioned you don't have any closure I do want to ask about forgiveness have you forgiven the shooters and their parents oh I'm going to be hon I'm going to put it this way okay through our Father God Jehova I have to forgive them but I promise you I'll never forget it because they should have did something about it they they shouldn't have never ever let them children tell them what to do I will never ever let a child dictate my you know my reality I would never ever do it and they shouldn't have did it and the parents in Michigan shouldn't have did it that's why they paying for it which they should have paid for it you understand now I I I didn't want to say it like that but I said it but that that is a difference from 25 years ago you were asked that same question and you said no you didn't forgive it that uh-huh and now you're saying you are forgiving yeah but I but I I I can't forget it and I will never forget it I mean you know what I'm saying because they shouldn't have did what they done I don't have my son today if they if they just would have called authorities and said these my children is messing up they getting ready to do something my baby would be here today my whole world would be different you see what I'm saying so now it's time for me it's my duty to start talking about it I don't know how comfortable you are going back to that day so you let me know where you were are mentally with this but when did you find out that this had happened and what was your reaction what did you do well I was in my office at the house I was going off for paperwork you know finishing up the contracts and things that we was getting ready to uh take out the uh LA and uh my wife got a phone I heard the phone ring and my wife screamed she screamed Mike we got to go and you know I mean I'm just like every other person that you know when I'm at my house I'm in my pajamas and if I ain't got to go I didn't I wasn't supposed to leave until that evening that night I mean you know that late evening so I was getting everything together waiting on the so I can talk to the kids I'm going to get dressed and waiting on the kids to get in so we can you know I can see my goodbye I you know what I'm saying what you do what I do normally when I get ready to leave and uh she screamed and said there's been a shooting there been a shooting what you talking about up at the school and she didn't have to say nothing else I had my house shoes on and my my robe and my pajamas I would hit the door and she screamed said Mike you can't go nowhere like that I said yes I am going to go and I went up there I initially went up there in my pajam my pajamas and house coat and uh she told me that I I wasn't SHO I mean she was still firm she told me I need to change and I did I went back and changed and uh we went in and we started running into the school trying to find out what was going on and and you know so on and so on and so on you know saying I'm saying it led on into I mean you know it was just a I mean I I don't want to talk about that part I mean you were you were able after you got there to locate your other children who attending yeah they we met up with them that night that's how that's after we had found out that they you know my son's coach one of his his coaches was very fond of him and we was all friends kind of sort of you know what I'm saying and and when he got that phone call he looked directly me and him made our contact and uh when he when I contacted when I looked at him and he looked at me tears came to both our eyes because we know it was that was it they had found it and he was with those that they found that's when that late that evening when we found out that he's no longer in the land of the living I know afterward there was a outpouring of community support the his funeral was the largest the last one the largest funeral well a few friends of mine came to perform you know the one particular the silk I mean I had them to come you know I gave them the you know the opportunity to come perform you know for pay tribute yeah thank yeah uh what were your last moments like with your son I hatte I'm going I'm going to go on talk about it because this need to be said okay I was sitting on my bed me and my wife she was helping me getting my stuff together you know packing help me pack or whatever getting my stuff together and he came to our bedroom you you know and he he had uh his Bible I mean that his Bible and his West snack picture autograph picture he had it and he kept both of them together at all times I mean all the time because if he wasn't reading the Bible I mean he kept that picture he used it as a marker in the Bible I I figured that's what he was doing because it always Chang pages I mean you know I hate to say it but I'm a snoop when it come to my children I always know what they doing you see what I'm saying ain't no place in my house that I can't look that's where a whole lot of parents need to start being it shouldn't be no place in your house where you can't look or ask the questions about and that's what I did and he came to our room that that night and he had his Bible and had that Wes sn's picture and he gave it to his mother and I had the strangest feeling went over me then he gave his Bible and that SN that picture to his mother and said here Mom I'm not going to need this anymore and when he said that I turned around and asked him I said son what are you talking about I said everybody need a Bible he said I'm not going to need it anymore I said Come On Son what you talking about he said I'm not going to need it anymore and he walked off and that's the last time I seen my son alive that night when he walked off he told my wife I you know I had stayed up pretty late cuz I was trying to get ready to go so I uh slept in and my wife told him that I just went to bed he asked he said tell Dad I want him to cut my hair this evening and uh when I get home I told and I said before he leave you know she us to tell Dad I want him to cut my hair before he leave and uh I told you know I of course I said I would and uh I didn't get up to go see him off and thank God two of them made it you know two of my children made it out because I don't know if I could have really kept it together if I lost all three of my babies in that school I don't think I would have been able to keep it together I mean I'm doing a pretty good job at it now but I think it's time for us to start making a change like they always say stop talking and let's start walking um Isaiah would have graduated that may oh yeah he was he had his I buried him in his cap and gown because that's that's one reason we were we were still there he asked us to let him stay there because we was had packed up we was getting ready to move we had situation going on at the other side of town you know we and that's the only reason we didn't and you can see everybody tell you man we had boxes everywhere you know we packed up ready to go what was if you don't mind me asking the situation on the other side of town I know we get having a house bu oh okay so you were but you wanted to keep him in the district yeah I wanted he wanted to stay with his he wanted to walk with his friends you know the people he went to school with he wanted to walk with them and he begged us I mean now that's a regret if I ever had one that was a regret right there because we should have said no you understand what I'm saying we as parents should have said no like a whole lot of these parents today they need to start saying no you know what I'm saying we should have said no we leaving he still be here today I say he probably will still be here today not time that t w because all he wanted to do is just stay there for 3 weeks all he did three weeks within the three weeks he supposed to stayed there he was gone it was a dead man and it almost took me out now I'm going go to be honest with you that almost took me out when when you sit there and and and go to the morg I mean go to the fun home and and they won't let you see your son in the morg cuz there so much controversy going on they won't let you come in the morg to see him you got to till he get to the funeral home to to look at your son you see what I'm saying and I mean that was bad that was really really bad I mean that I mean no man no woman no other no human being person period should have to see their kids laying there behind somebody else's bullet that he didn't even have nothing to do with you understand what I'm saying he had no idea when they came in that school they talking about I'm using the race car when they came in that school they know who they was called looking for and if they say I'm playing the race car let them say it they said where's that little [ __ ] who what else did they be talking about my son was he pretty popular kid there in school and they was going he was supposed to be eating lunch that day but he wasn't in the C that's why they came through the cafeteria cuz they know he was supposed to be there but he was he wasn't there he went up to the library with another St with one of his friends and they was getting some kind of essay together that's why they found him in the library see now let's tell the truth you understand what I'm saying let's be real about this thing now I didn't want to get to this part but when you br it up you just brought it back to me you understand what I'm saying I try to forget it but you can't forget that you knowing that they killed your baby and they don't want didn't want to do nothing about it no come on now come on did you feel that was a hate crime I don't have to feel that the world know it was a hate crime you got SWAT stickers all the way through the school you got this one particular group running around there uh uh just the demolishing our our minority children throwing them in trash can putting them in lockers you know throwing them down the the boundaries at school you see they were doing all kind of things and they wasn't doing anything about this so this was consistent bullying yes and they wasn't doing anything about it that's why my son got fed up with it he had he's like his daddy he got to Fig he going to do something about it if he keep on going and he kept on going and when they touched his brother and sister that was a that was a pinnacle that was it he went to the he went to the he just told him man y'all need to leave us alone I mean I hate to say that but he did he he said y'all need to leave us alone he told me what he was going to tell them you understand what I'm saying I knew they was picking that's why I went to the school we went to the school district and told them that this stuff was going to happen you know what they told us let our kids go grow up and go to class he grew up all right he'll never grow no more because he's gone y'all all because they said let him grow up let our kids grow up we let them grow up and look what they are I know that obviously there were other victims that were not black or Latino or a minority I feel for those I mean because they a whole lot as you do your background and do your history on them you'll find out that uh they was uh accused of being uh uh friends with the the enemy the minority and some of them were minority students that got killed you see what I'm saying so all of this was a big it was supposed to be more kids got it supposed to be more of them gone but thank God that for that for that teacher he saved a whole lot of them and Chang this whole thing around Co Sanders if it wasn't for him he'll always be a hero in my mind cuz he saved my child he stood in front of my child and directed her the other way your daughter he saved your daughter my daughter yes he and she told us this my daughter still she still loved this man because he saved her life wow he he pushed her and told her to go the other way and he turned to started you know to start assisting other children and that's where he met his demise right there after he told my children he told all those girls told my children you know told them to run the other way now I'm just going to tell you the truth that's just going to get it out now I can I can talk about it now yeah I can talk about it now wow how coping with grief with loss is one thing but how did you help your children who survive this try to move forward well they had to be homeschooled we all knew I mean after something like that they had to be home school I Ain know any about that but we stayed together we we had we we know if we just stayed out like this here it was going to break us up you understand what I'm saying but we did this we come together and we said we going to keep this Village together we going to do what's right for the family and Isaiah when wanted y'all to stop I was there wouldn't have wanted us to stop which we couldn't do no more we had to cuz he was our son he would have wanted y'all to push on and that's what we put in their heads and that's what they did it was hard and they still we all get together and still talk about it I mean we all cry together we we I mean we still do the same thing I mean like you said is it's like he's here but he's not you understand what I'm saying he he's is so I mean he's within all of us you know what I'm understand so when we get together we he's there with us I don't know if you know the feeling I'm talking about but when we all get together as family it's almost like he comes and sit down with us you you see what I'm saying because everything that's said everything that's talked about it's don't it's not directly direct at him but it's just like he sitting there with us you understand what I'm saying he'll come up in the come conversation you see what I'm saying so that's that's love that's family love you know what I'm saying that's what keep a family together that's what these families that's being torn away by this violence that's what I can give them keep strong keep your family by you you see what I'm saying keep your family with you because those are the ones going to help you keep this Village together and you can't do anything once your village is destroyed family have to stay together you if you just bond together when this stuff happens you'll stay together you mentioned visiting Denver twice a year I know at one point you talked about possibly moving Isaiah is that still a consideration well no cuz we discussed that and we and if that was a case we'd have had he'd have been moved three times you see what I'm saying due to the time because we going I mean even though we could but we didn't so we thought it was just best to leave him in this final resting place you see what I'm saying because at this time we was intending to stay in Denver so we picked a particular place out and it was just a small little tree about like that you know by great now that tree is Big you see what I'm saying that Tre them grown and that makes me feel like you know that's something there is still it's still growing you know what I'm saying and it might sound crazy to you it might sound crazy to a whole lot of people but but to me that tree represents growth you see what I'm saying and ain't no way I can move him now if I wanted to you see what I'm saying that tree represents growth cuz it's right there at his headstone you know what I'm saying so therefore that I couldn't move him if I wanted to I've got a few more questions for you who do you think Isaiah would be today what would Isaiah be doing well if he stay we have stayed on track he'd been a big time music executive he been I mean cuz he took over from me and he and I promise you he'd made it way better than I could have thought I could do it I mean and it probably would have been a comedian probably would have been in the movies right now because he was very he he had the goods you understand what I'm saying he had the goods I mean I asked him to come on and join me after he got out of school but you know what he said he said no dad I want to go to school I want to go to college he said you got enough paper between you I mean you know what I'm saying y'all y'all are doing okay let me go to school and put the put the degree in the company you know what I'm saying he wanted to put the degree in the company so in other words he wanted to bring the school into the company you see how you ask somebody else to go to school when you didn't go am I right or wrong so that's the kind of son that I had is there any and you shared quite a bit but is there any advice that you can give to families that have been through what you've been through only thing I'm going to say right now right is I hope they listening to me the only thing that's going to keep a family s is a be with family and the only way you going to be with family they don't have to be your blood family you understand what I'm saying okay they don't have to be your exy group you understand what I'm saying they don't have to be black they don't have to be white they don't have to be yellow you understand what I'm saying all they have to do is be a member of our race two legs two arms whatever the human race because really if once you look at it we all sisters and brothers you see what I'm saying we might look different but under this skin baby you the same as everybody else your body structure is just like some and most like others you understand what I'm saying so what do we need to do is we all need to just call out to each other I'm not only talking about the ones that lost uh loved ones through to this violence I'm talking about everybody if you feel like this world need to change let's start talking about it and uh like I said uh be looking up forward because it's starting a new uh organization it's not new but I'm going to get ready to start it back up and it's less St out hate before it's too late in the name of Isaiah shows and I know I already asked you what you would say to the the the shooters families what would you say to the other combine families they know it's been long enough and they probably went through a lot of uh hesitation to by this whole matter by being they kids that c this situation uh should I say some of their children and I always say that and uh we know it's different but anyway we know they wasn't the main cause of that situation but the point is they were the two that got blamed for what they was the two that uh convicted themselves of it you see what I'm saying so I would have to say to those parents if you got grandchildren or if you if you're ever able to have grandchildren have any children period which uh you really don't need to have anything to do with them but the point is start being real with these children don't let these children dictate your moves or don't go buy him a new car when he go mess up he go he go break in the store he go hit somebody in the head you go buy them a new car and tell them don't do it no more you can't start buying these kids love you have to start disciplining these kids you have to start telling them what's right and wrong you see what I'm saying so that's what I'm talking about this family they need to go and they need to go and have some uh situation done too you know what I'm saying they need to go and be for real with it they need to start digging just like we did at digging and asking why did my son have to die I mean you know I'm not I know I'm the cause of it I'm part of it cuzz I should have been more of a parent to go in them rooms and check keep checking you understand what I'm saying but what they should have did is went on and started investigating like we did you see what I'm saying and find out how it this got so far don't you know the school should have caught this you understand what I'm saying especially when people like us was telling them we was telling them it's getting ready to happen my children was telling us that that's why we decided to get them out of that school but we was too late we lost one and what would you say to the other victims families I I would say God bless us all because we all lost that day we all went through the same tragedy that made us family you understand what I'm saying that made us that that brought us together because we all lost that day we all lost important parts of our family I'm talking about from the coach on down to the last child mine you see what I'm saying so I'm saying to the those fam I pray and I pray to God that you can stay together and and mold as family and if I mean I I'm I'm saying this I've been out of the touch for a while a long time but you ever need me to talk or if you never need me to do anything you know how you can get contact with me through Micah you're going to answer my phone calls now uhhuh yeah I will all right I will I will okay all right um my last question for you because I think people want to know what are you up to these days and how is Vonda doing well she's uh she's being V she's she's moving on I that's all I can say because uh she's going to always be V you know she's what keeps her mind going and she takes care of the house and bills I mean you know she's being V you know what I'm saying and you know we uh have three of our grandchildren stay with us now so she being mother again so that's the situation are you still doing music oh most definitely I mean you know not really as much as I should have I just finished with my uh well I it's been out since uh 2017 but I finally finished my book you know what I mean uh you know uh the abandoned children is 56 something pages so wow finally finished that so and I'm getting ready to start uh I'm getting ready to start open up this organization you I'm see I'll get it back on on Route maybe I can find me some sponsors and maybe I can just get some Believers again you know what I'm saying say we can do this as a family we can do this as a nation we can bring that Village back together and I'm not only talking about here in America just maybe it'll bleed off on some of the other world yeah and I've heard uh the title Reverend used with your name or you a reverend yes okay but like I said I I don't throw that around too lightly and you know what I'm saying I am a man of the CLA but I don't throw it around too lightly because some of the things I need to do they might not think I'm a reverend okay you understand what I'm saying because I'm going to bring it together no matter what okay I'm going to have to do what I have to do you understand what I'm saying and you might not think I'm a r once I start talking okay okay as we conclude your first interview and over for a decade how do you feel like I need to still say I I I got some other things I need to do I got some other things I need to say and I want to cry out to the family now is the time it's time to make that change it's time to it's time to start walking and stop talking let's started come bringing this Village back together you understand what I'm saying that's all I have to say about that anything else you'd like to say about anything else no that's it we got it all G all right thank you so much Michael all right

Channel: Denver7

Views: 8,868

Keywords: columbine, columbine victims, family, interview, isaiah shoels, michael shoels, nashville, silent, where is isaiah shoels family

Id: NKeGlE8M_j0

Length: 55min 2sec (3302 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 17 2024