Caller ‘Pete’ called into the radio program to respond to the ludicrous conspiracy theories going around the internet suggesting that perhaps this shooting didn’t actually happen. Pete’s child goes to that school and he described the horrific events of that morning from the eyes of a father not being able to protect his son in danger.
Pete's son was a first grader at Sandy Hook and lost many of his friends in the shooting, and has attended six funerals. Two of the kids killed were part of Pete's Tiger Den, and he and his son wore their uniforms to the funerals.
When asked about his opinion on the Newtown "truthers", Pete said the very idea that people would think it was a conspiracy made him feel like throwing up.
"It's like an unimaginable way to even look at a tragedy or horrific event. I don't even understand it," Pete told Glenn.
On the day of the shooting, Pete said he was already on his way to the school to help his son's class make gingerbread houses for Christmas. On the way, he saw several emergency vehicles pass and assumed it was a random domestic dispute, but as he got closer he realized it was the school. Pete, a Newtown volunteer firefighter, was then dispatched to the scene but not allowed to go in.
"I'm having a hard time even asking you this question," Glenn said. "What did it feel like as a dad to know that your son was in that building, and you could not go in and grab him?"
"It was extremely hard. I'm fortunate that the fire department is a big family," Pete said. "One of them, the EMS captain, her mother is the secretary in the office. She's the one who got the intercom open. And we were both together on the truck and we were consoling each other, and making sure we were able not only get in and do our jobs and but keep each supported to make sure everything was going to be all right."
"I was fortunate that my son's class due to his location was about the second class out. I saw him right away within a few minutes of being on scene," Pete added.
"I've been wanting to call a long time, and just listening to that (Newtown truthers). We need to set the record straight. I was there. I've been to the funerals. I know the families very closely. I know a lot of those children. It happened. It really happened," Pete said.
