049 - Abby McLean - Know Their Stories: Voices from March 27, 2023

In this episode, we sit down with Abby McLean, a Covenant School parent on March 27, 2023, as she recounts the day of the shooting and the painful journey that followed. From the moment she received the first call to the agonizing time spent searching for her children, Abby shares the raw emotions, the uncertainty, and the overwhelming grief that forever changed her family and community.

 

Through her story, we gain insight into the heroic actions of teachers, the life-saving decisions made under extreme stress, and the aftermath that fractured relationships and reshaped perspectives on school security. We also discuss the broader implications—how schools and parents must take proactive steps to protect children, the importance of ongoing training, and the lasting impact of trauma on survivors.

This episode is a reminder that preparedness matters and that behind every tragedy are real people, real lives, and a call to action we cannot ignore.

Notes:

01:27: How people handle the aftermath

04:55: Abby recounts her experience on March 27, 2023

13:10: It took one hour to find out information on her children’s safety

18:00: Actions taken by staff during the event

23:15: We’ve seen police freeze under less stress than these teachers were under

23:40: The middle is where the difference is made

29:10: Defend Systems breaks this event down in their training because of all the remarkable decisions made on March 27, 2023

32:00: The importance of hard corners

37:35: Talk to your child’s school about forced entry protection on glass in doors

46:00: Abby’s experience at Defend Systems’ active shooter response training

58:20: The emotional aftermath of the event

1:14:00: Abby talks about society forgetting these events

1:18:40: Convincing school boards to make the investment in training for staff

1:22:00: Why Brink and Tracey did a walkthrough of the crime scene

1:26:00: When you hear data on how fast these events occur, it changes everything