Some tragedies are so emblazoned in people's minds that years later they can recall where they were when they first heard the news. The assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., the Challenger explosion, and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks are among these events. So also is the Columbine High School tragedy of April 20, 1999. There were numerous school shootings prior to the Columbine tragedy; yet it became a pivotal event in the history of school violence that touched the hearts and minds of Americans--an event that changed attitudes and perceptions about young people and safety in schools. Columbine came to represent school tragedy and has been referenced in all subsequent school shootings. The tragedy has been the subject of documentaries, movies, and fiction and non-fiction books. The stories of the terrible day at Columbine are as diverse as the people who experienced it. While reflecting on her own situation as superintendent at the time, this author looks back and ahead, sharing stories of tragedy and healing. This story focuses on Jefferson County Colorado, Public Schools leaders who were forever changed by the events of April 20, 1999.