Despite the fact that all of use are a little raw around the edges today, we are for the most part being very gentle with each other in the political thread. I am quite proud that most of us understand that today is a day where name calling and arguing about housewives should be more subdued today as we try to be kind to our entire American family, even those members we really don’t like at all. It is in that spirit that I share a situation with Phaedra Parks. Phaedra is not everyone’s favorite housewife here, but I hope that we can remember that she is part of our American family today and is struggling in many ways when we comment.
Yesterday afternoon “The Spanx Truck” as some sources jokingly call her makeup and styling artists entourage arrived at Chez Phaedra and neighbors assumed she was going to a political event. She was not. She was preparing to take a flight to South Africa to the International Essence Festival in Durban. She has likely arrived by now. I was going to do a post on this last night making fun of her trip with Al Sharpton. Yes, seriously. Steve Harvey is also going. All three are speakers, among some others folks from the US. It was going to be a snarky post. Then, I got all caught up in the election drama and decided to drink and tweet about the events we were all witnessing. When Hillary conceded I started to think about Phaedra being on a very, very long flight out of the country and getting the news on the plane. Was there an announcement? I’m sure she was shocked and devastated. I opted to permanently squash my snarky post.
But then something very scary happened this morning. An employee at Ayden’s school was fired this morning for sending inappropriate emails to students. The fired employee left the meeting and went immediately to a hunting store and bought a rifle and some ammo and returned to the school. The police had been warned by the school administration that he might be a problem so they were there to intercept him. The kids were all in lock down mode, some were hiding in closets according to reports. The potential shooter, has been apprehended, and no one was hurt.
I cannot imagine being that far away from my kid in this sort of situation. Phaedra’s mother and several babysitters are with the kids. But I have a feeling Phaedra is having a very bad day. None of us needed any extra anxiety today.
OMG how terrifying! Thank God the school was on top of things and got law enforcement involved immediately. Any info about said inappropriate emails? Thanks for posting this Tamara. It’s a parent’s worst nightmare.
I heard this story on the news but had no idea Phaedra’s boys went there. Since I am sure its a private school , I am wondering if it was Pace, Lovett, Westminster or The Speech School. I personally can’t stand Phaedra but her boys are adorable and I would not wish that on anyone.
I deliberately left the name of the school out of the story. Please stop.
Honest question here, as I don’t know the laws in the states, just that you can have lots of lovely guns when you go to do the weekly shop. What if you’d just been fired and were pissed, and you GENUINELY want to go to the shooting range to let of some steam, ‘cos you’re ‘Murican. Then you were apprehended. Would they just ASSUME you were gonna shoot up the school because of recent events, or would they take that as a valid excuse? Or did they have to apprehend him on school property about to do the terrible deed?
I believe he was followed and apprehended after leaving the hunting store and before returning to campus.
Your Anti American slurs are entirely unwelcome today. Perhaps you should fuck off and come back when we are all a bit less sensitive.
Actually wasn’t being anti American. I hunted in my childhood and I’m rather fond of the fact you can do so with less limitations than Britain.
Mark, states are very particular about how you carry guns out in public. The laws vary by state. Carrying a gun in public has to be permitted. Your home, vehicle, or business requires none in Georgia. The fact that this man was apprehended on school grounds is terrifying. He wasn’t on his way to the range so of course we are to assume he is unstable and dangerous. But yes, I could go to a range after a termination and blow off steam. I would say that this is not a good look or healthy way of releasing stress or steam however. Please seek other stress releavers Mr. Hunter.
That is all.
Okay…..now…Phay-Phay is NOT my fav as a Housewife….but she LOVES her BOYS! And it would not shock me if she cancelled EVERYTHING and came right back to the States.
So sad…I can’t imagine being so far away from my children and having something like that happen…such a horrible feeling!!
This just made what happened last night even more frightening. Too many guns, too easy to get. And angry, obviously unhinged person-never a good combo. Glad those babies are safe and with loved ones.
I’m glad the boys,and all at their school, are safe. I also wish Phaedra safe travels.
Well said, TT. Love how this post came to be and hearing all your thoughts. One love.
Sorry I was not being nosy and the school is probably on the news .One of those school’s was where I attended as well. I grew up near where she now lives so just wondered.
I got goose bumps reading this, not the good ones. No parent or child should EVER have to deal with this type of fear. I don’t care if you like the parents or not………… A child is the most precious gift to this world.
My heart goes out to her. There is nothing scarier than not being able to get to your children when something has happened. I live right down the street from where the news reporters in Va. we’re killed by the gunman. When he was still on the run they locked down my daughters school for the staff and children’s safety. I still felt helpless and wanted to lay eyes on my girls mostly for my own piece of mind but also because I felt safer for them to be with me. It was terrifying to my husband and I and all the kids. Please hear the people who would like some kind of better gun control. I’m not interested in doing away with anyone’s right to own a gun. Only stricter regulations and better way to weed out the ability to purchase a gun if you are not mentally capable of making a decision on how or when to use one. I don’t know the answer only I don’t like what’s happening now.
Not to be snarky but any kind of gun laws went out the window yesterday, unfortunately.
What a helpless feeling for Phaedra. Feel for her today.
How horrific ! I also wonder how Appolo was told . I know he was not the best husband but he does appear from what the show to love his boys and tries to be as invobed as he can be while in prison.
I just cannot imagine the fear parents must deal with today that was not present when I went to school. Gun violence was not a factor back then. I am sad for the children of today
Oh no:( sometimes it is hard to remember that any of the housewives are “real” people…. She must be beside herself….
An actual example of people being warned that someone is a risk and then the appropriate action of following and intercepting them happening. That a good thing (and that no one was hurt, of course). Must be pure hell as a parent. Wishing all those families a peaceful night tonight.
Oh that hurts my heart! That would be terrifying and I can’t imagine being away from them after hearing that.
Violence from terminated employees is a huge concern, even when guns aren’t involved. A relative of mine recently terminated a less than stellar employee. Two days later, the employee returned undetected to the office, and accosted my relative from behind. She quietly entered the office and immediately locked the one and only interior door behind her back. She then approached my relative and physically attacked from behind with a blunt, sharp object. Co-workers had to exit the building and run around to the rear fire exit in order to get into the office and scare off the attacker. The relative has head contusions, a concussion, deep body bruises and of course mental and emotional scars that will take years to heal. She is under going her 3rd MRI and CAT scan tomorrow. It’s all too recent and raw for me to fully process. To make the matter worse, the attacker escaped. There is an arrest warrant out on her for attempted murder, but the authorities have not yet been able to apprehend her. I fear for my relative’s ability to return to work, feel safe in her own home or even walk her children down the block. Incidents like this happen to every day people on a daily basis, and it has to stop. I’m thankful none of the precious school children in Atlanta were harmed. Prayers for all the families who had to endure such a disturbing incident
That’s horrible Kiyoshigirl, really terrible. My heart goes out to your relative. The mental scars from such a traumatic event will linger far longer than the physical.
TT, thanks for taking the time to write out a thoughtful and kind post. Everyone is so angry over the election, I’m personally dealing with someone on a daily basis who is impulsively cruel. The negativity is draining. Silly as it sounds, it warmed my heart to see Phaedra treated with compassion during what must be a very difficult time. Thank you.
Sorry this happened. On the outside no one was hurt and all left injured.
I heard the story on the news tonight. The administration did a fantastic job. They were very concerned prior to meeting with the employee so they hired a PI to follow the employee after the meeting. The employee went straight to buy a gun and bullets. The PI called police who pulled the guy over who was seemingly en route back to the school. The responding officer said that during the traffic stop the guy was loading the gun. DURING THE TRAFFIC STOP. He was charged with obstruction and I believe reckless endangerment.
Dear God
So he is still walking around. Great. What a world. Thanks for the tea TT.
From the news teams here, the officers took him to a hospital for mental observation. They also stated the coach was not going to school. They seemed to feel coach was a danger to himself & possibly anyone that might had interfere with that. Whatever the coach sent in email to students wasn’t illegal or sexual according to police & reporters. This is why for now he got those charges. If later the police discover evidence that coach was intending harm others, then it is a different story & more charges could be added.
That is a scary situation. Back when my guys were little, hubs had to terminate an employee and threats were made and our children were referenced. I know all of the crap that we had to deal with including a plan with the school was stressful. Thankfully, it turned out to be nothing. I cannot imagine being in Phaedras position of having someone that is armed wanting to do harm at the school and not being able to physically get to your babies ASAP. Glad everyone was safe.
Caring for fellow beings. Therein lieth the lesson. Shade doesn’t inhibit empathy.
Amen!
How scary. Thank God they got him. My baby girl was home sick from kindergarten with a fever the day of Sandy Hook. I will NEVER forget that day. Nobody knew if this was an isolated incident , or terrorism. I am not sure I would have been able to drive to the school without wrecking. I’m impressed she’s doing this kind of work. We’re going to all have to reach out and lift each other up. Scary times indeed.
My son is 7. When he was 5 he went to a city school. A man who had escaped from prison holed himself up in a massage parlour a street away from his school with drugs, guns and explosives. They evacuated the area but could not logistically move a couple hundred small boys safely, so the school was barricaded with armoured police vertices. My son told me they ran drills where lady police officers scooped up the small boys and ran behind the tanks and the female police officers laid over them as human shields. I still remember watching the siege on television 2 on away in my office – getting and updates and everyone in the office trying to comfort me. The man ended up using the gun to take his life so the kids were not affected and were told the shots were construction starting up as the siege was over. My son had the greatest day of his life (the kids played cops for weeks yelling ‘Go Go Go!’ and to this day, I still get choked up thinking about a woman I never met laying down her life for my son. My son wants to be a police officer when he grows up. I said that’s fine but I will be tailing his vehicle for the entire shift, 24/7 for life.
That was ‘watching news 2 KM away in my office’. I was most certainly not watching news and driving. Had to clear that up.
That gave me chills too, I can’t imagine. I am certainly looking for the good in people today and remaining grateful that I know or “read” many of of them. Thank you for sharing, I’m thrilled your son had a great day playing with cops and not a scary, traumatic one. I’m sorry you had to ever feel all that stress. And wow to know there a still still officers willing to be human shields, all is not bleak.
Thank you Storm. It was a scary day. It is hard to remember at times that there are still good men and women who risk their lives for us everyday. I try and encourage my son to respect the police. They don’t always deserve it, but the alternative is unthinkable.
That is very scary.. I can not even imagine. what country was this in?
I cannot even imagine the sheer terror of being so far away from my babies knowing that happened. Poor Phaedra. I hope she’s doing OK.
My kids’ prior school was built around 7 years ago. They designed the building to have a room disguised as a closet in each classroom that was large enough to hold an entire class of kids, so that teachers could scoop up their kids and lock themselves away in a lockdown drill. When they would do drills, the teachers would make it into a game for them so that the kids wouldn’t be scared. It was so terrifying to me that my kids had to go to school in a time where this was something they actively chose to put into place. But worse, our current school which was built in the same year uses a piece of paper over the window to block any intruders. There are no closets. It’s actually scarier.
I’m sorry, well written post but I just burst into tears once again today after reading this. Please dear God keeps us all safe and especially watch over the children.
Sorry, even before this week I have been trying to lighten things up around here. But we are just going through a dark patch. xo.
Thanks for being so considerate and empathetic, this is truly a first for me. Sometimes people in the public eye are dehumanized to the point that people rejoice when they face adversity. Thank you for this. Wishing all the families affected all the best and most especially Phaedra since since she was miles away during this unfortunate situation. I wish other bloggers follow suit…This trail blazing at its best!
Thanks for being so considerate and empathetic, this is truly a first for me. Sometimes people in the public eye are dehumanized to the point that people rejoice when they face adversity. Thank you for this. Wishing all the families affected all the best and most especially Phaedra since she was miles away during this unfortunate situation. I wish other bloggers follow suit…This is trail blazing at its best!
A parents worst nightmare. And it’s not like they have a Dad arpunds that can see to the situation whilst she’s away.
How horrifying! But great job by the school to keep an eye on him after he left and then get the police on him before he can get back and do damage.
Horrible. Thank God no one was hurt.