Listen to Susan & Courtney’s Story
Car attack survivors and Heather Heyer’s mom Susan Bro on 4th Street at the first anniversary of the Unite the Right rally.
“This is what our community looks like!”
August 12, 2018 at 1:31 PM
“Just being able to be here in this space with her being able to smile, it just shows that we have come a long way in just a year”
- Courtney Commander
Interview Transcript
Courtney Commander
This photo is so sweet. This was the one year anniversary of August 12th.
Susan Bro
These are people that Heather worked with and some of whom she walked with that day.
Courtney Commander
Still, at this moment, my memories are sort of foggy when it comes to this. And that may just be my body subconsciously trying to remove such hard things from my body. But I just love the smile on Susan and I’s face.
Susan Bro
Three of them in the picture, Marissa, Marcus, and Courtney, were also right beside Heather. Two of them were injured. Marcus pretty severely. Courtney injured her knee as the car grazed it.
Courtney Commander
Just being able to be here in this space with her being able to smile, it just shows that we have come a long way in just a year, surrounded by, you know, friends that were impacted just as much as we were by the attack.
Susan Bro
And we were just feeling the love. I know for a long time, at least one of these people felt like they had caused Heather to be there, had forced Heather to be there, had sort of bullied her into being there. And I know that that's not true. You couldn't bully Heather and do anything she didn't want to do. And Heather hated to walk in the heat. She hated to walk in the…she hated to walk, period. So for her to do that, I know she did it because she wanted to. And these are the reasons why these are the people that she knew and cared about. But yeah, that was a moment of connection with people who knew what I call the real Heather, not the myth of Heather. They knew the fiery woman who curse like a sailor and liked a little bit of party but not a ton of partying and worked hard and was passionate about everything she did.
Courtney Commander
And you can see, like, you know, in some of our faces, we're trying to trying to smile through all of the sadness and and stuff that is still happening a year later. So still still very tough times.
Music credit: Bruce Brus / Thymotic Moments / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com