June 17, 2015, Charleston, S.C.—A date that will forever echo in the soul of a nation. Nine members of Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church were murdered while welcoming a stranger into their Wednesday night Bible study—a time and place most would consider the safest in their week. A decade ago, the sanctity of worship was shattered in an act of unspeakable violence. This anniversary is not just a day of remembrance; it’s a sobering call to action.
As someone who responded to the scene that evening and has dedicated my life to personal defense education, I believe we dishonor the memory of the fallen if we fail to confront the lessons that were forced upon us that night. Chief among them: Evil doesn’t wait for us to be ready. It finds us in sanctuaries, schools, shopping centers, and on sidewalks. And when it does, hope is not a plan. The only antidote to violence is preparation.
A decade later, we still grieve. But we must also reflect—with clear eyes and resolute hearts—on the urgent lesson that night taught us: hope is not a plan, and personal safety is not guaranteed by good intentions alone…