By Dana Williams
Many of the 150 students who heard McDonald's story said it showed them the importance of making an effort to help other people. McDonald told the students that they are all special and if they stay focused, they can accomplish all of their goals.
"I want to be a physician's assistant and just hearing his story makes me want to do that even more because I want to help people just like him," said senior Terrance Wagner. "The advice he gave us is so important ... and I think his story touched all of us in a good way."
While working in Central Park in 1986, McDonald was shot three times by a teenage boy. One of the bullets shattered his spine. Since that incident, McDonald explained, he has been confined to a wheelchair as a quadriplegic.
"I remember looking into the barrel of the gun and telling the young boy not to shoot," McDonald said. "There's always a better way forward than violence."
Since the shooting, McDonald said, he forgave his shooter, Shavod Jones, who was killed in a motorcycle accident three days after he was released from his nine-year prison sentence for shooting the officer. While Jones was in prison, McDonald said he became friends with Jones' grandmother and would often pray with her. McDonald's story lead to him speaking to the teenagers about the importance of forgiveness, which he said he was able to do with God's help as well as the love and support of his family and friends.
"We are all capable of forgiveness," he said. "You're always a winner if you can find a way to forgive those who hurt you."
It was an emotional moment for some students, who shed a couple of tears as McDonald discussed how the shooting has impacted his life with his family. The year of the shooting was also the same year that his wife, Malverne Mayor Patricia McDonald, was pregnant with their son Conor. McDonald said that although he is unable to hug his wife or play football with his son, he still tries his hardest each day to be a loving husband and father.
The officer also spoke about how he still continues his police work by traveling aroung the world to places such as Israel, Northern Ireland and Palestine to discuss the importance of peace and forgiveness. He said that serving as an officer has been his way to help others and becoming a police officer is a decision that he does not regret.
"I think Mr. McDonald showed all of us that you have to have respect for other people," said senior Michael Duffy. "Something like this was very powerful and emotional ... and I think it's very important for students to hear stories like his."
Valley Stream South's Principal Maureen Henry said that school officials were proud to have McDonald visit the school to make a difference in the lives of students. The event, she said, is one of the many that supports the school's theme of "South Makes A Difference."
Comments about this story? DWilliams@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282.
