Virginia

Lobbyist Wounded in Alexandria Baseball Practice Shooting Shares Story

The lobbyist who was shot this summer at a Republican baseball team practiced in Virginia spoke about the shooting on Tuesday. 

Matt Mika shared his story as part of a Trauma Survivors Day event at George Washington University Hospital. 

After numerous surgeries and hours of physical therapy, Mika is in good spirits as he works toward recovery.

"I look better than I feel. Still have some broken ribs and a cracked rib. I don’t have full function and feeling in my hand yet, but happy to be here," he said. "It’s not going to change who I am but it’s going to make me a better person and move forward."

Gunman James T. Hodgkinson shot four people on June 14 in Alexandria, Virginia: Mike, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, Capitol Police Special Agent Crystal Griner and Zack Barth, an aide to Rep. Roger Williams.

Mika was practicing for the annual Congressional Baseball Game when he was hit in the chest and arm. After the first shot, he kept running. Then, he fell as police exchanged fire with Hodgkinson. As he lay on the ground, he was hit a second time.

Mika’s chest wound was so severe paramedics did not think he was going to live but talking about his mom gave him the strength to move on. 

"When the paramedics got me in I was just talking to them and at the same time I was talking to my mom who unfortunately passed away 10 years ago, but I think her passing away was a good thing for me because she was there with me that day. She was my guardian angel." 

Mika was standing on the infield when the shooting began, but he managed to save a 10-year-old boy. Congressman Joe Barton’s (R-Texas) son was at the practice when Hodgkinson opened fire.

"As I was running outside the dugout, he was still there and my first thought was, 'There’s a kid on the field and a shooter,' and I threw him down, and luckily there was members of Congress and staff that were in the dugout and pulled him in."

Mika has returned to work and he is still recovering, with six hours of physical therapy every week.

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