An Amazing Story of Unconditional Forgiveness From L.A.’s Skid Row
Jerry was shot point-blank in the face, miraculously survived, and forgave his assailant.
The next time you think you’ve got problems, remember Jerry Nave. This is his true story.
Imagine you’re waiting for your bus on Crenshaw Boulevard after your night shift as a machinist at the aircraft company. You’re waiting on the bench as always in the cool L.A. evening.
A man with a shotgun approaches from your right side, but you don’t notice him. Suddenly all is blackness and silence.
You wake up from a coma in a hospital two months later, and you don't know where you are or what happened. You’re told a point-blank shotgun blast blew away most of your face on the right side. You had a 22-hour surgery to reconstruct what’s left of your face.
How would you feel when they hand you the mirror?
Vengeful? Angry? Defeated? Here’s how Jerry felt.
Ever since that incident, I lost contact with most of society. I lost contact with my parents and my four brothers and sisters. I had a good job with great benefits. It wasn’t Boeing or anything but Duchess [Beechcraft] treated me well, it was a solid job. The doors closed on me after that . . .
