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Denver Survivors Of Las Vegas Shooting Send Thanks To First Responders

By Joel Hillan

DENVER (CBS4) - Over 100 volunteers, including survivors of the October 1st shooting in Las Vegas, came together Saturday morning to assemble 1,000 baskets for first responders.

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Ducking between a generator and food truck, Chad and Jennifer Robertson would ride out the October 1st shooting in Las Vegas.

"We thought it was fireworks at first, when the first volley of shots happened and then the second volley of shots happened, we knew something was seriously wrong," explained Chad Robertson.

They were one of over 150 Coloradans who survived that night.

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Chad wanted to do something nice for the first responders who helped him; give them a little something to say thank you.

"Facebook was blowing up," he said. "My inbox was blowing up and people wanted to be a part of it."

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Soon he had raised close to $40,000; enough to provide thank you baskets to 1,000 first responders who helped that night.

"It's pretty amazing," said Melody Mesmer, co-founder of Foundation 1023, an organization that helps provide mental health services to first responders and their families.

"Having the availability to turn good from something bad is always good for our environment and our communities and it also helps spread the message of taking care of each other and being kind to each other," said Mesmer.

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You can donate to the non-profit Foundation 1023 at their website. http://foundation1023.org/

Foundation 1023 is just one of the many organizations who came together to help fill the baskets with meaningful gifts.

When Chad asked for handwritten thank you notes to go in the baskets, over a thousand arrived to Denver. Another 1,000 will be sent directly to Las Vegas to be distributed with the baskets.

"There's a lot of good people out there.  For as horrible as this man was who created this crime and did this to this venue and all these people. ... There's way more good people in the world than bad people," said Chad.

Survivors and supporters coming together to find healing in giving.

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Fedex will pick up the baskets Monday and deliver them to Las Vegas for free.

The Robertsons will join a small group of survivors who will hand-deliver the baskets on Friday and Saturday.

Joel Hillan anchors CBS4 This Morning on weekends as well as reports stories for CBS4 News at 5 and 6 p.m. Follow Joel on Twitter @joelhillan.

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