Community Corner

Salon Shooting Survivor Shares Thanks and Hope for Healing

Hattie Stretz and husband Tom send an open letter to rescuers and the community, and promise to be "out and about" again.

Editor's note: Hattie Stretz was the only gunshot victim to survive Oct. 12's Salon Meritage shooting, which left eight people dead, including her daughter, Laura Webb Elody. The Stretz family is well-known in Los Alamitos for its volunteerism and community involvement, and people quickly rallied around Hattie in the days following the shooting. On Tuesday, the Stretz family released this statement:

Since the events of October 12th in Seal Beach we have been the grateful recipients of an abundance of love and support from our family, friends and community.  You have taken us under your protective wing and provided us with a physical, emotional and spiritual blanket that has allowed us to begin the process of healing; your love will never be forgotten.   The sheer number of blessings and number of people giving them makes it impossible for us to thank you individually; you know who you are.  So please, for the time being, accept this very simple but heart-felt “group thank you”!  

We feel a need to specifically thank the four men who bravely secured the salon and provided initial aid as well as to each member of the first responder teams.  We also deeply appreciate the men and women of the many police departments, especially those in Seal Beach; and to the members of our Los Alamitos Police Department who gave of their personal time to assure our safety and comfort.  Finally, there is no better Trauma Center than that at Long Beach Memorial Hospital.  From those who made certain that our surroundings were clean, to the nurses and doctors, and up through administration we were treated with the only highest level of care, compassion and understanding.

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We have enjoyed our involvement with our many friends and community organizations.  We look forward to that continuing.  With your sustained prayers and a little time it will not be long before you see us “out and about” once again.

Hattie & Tom Stretz

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