LEWISTON, Maine — Ben Dyer survived five gunshot wounds during a tragic mass shooting in Maine that claimed the lives of 18 individuals at a bowling alley and bar. A year later, he and his fiancée, Keela Smith, are determined to transform that tragic event into a celebration of life.
As Lewiston gets ready to mark the somber first anniversary on Friday, Dyer and Smith are looking toward a brighter future. This past spring, Dyer proposed to Smith, inspired by a newfound appreciation for life and a desire to embrace each moment fully. They’ve chosen October 25 for their wedding, the same date as the shooting, aiming to reclaim it as their special day.
“So that we can always have it be a good reminder for us. Something that we don’t dread every year, and that doesn’t break our hearts every year,” Smith explained. “Because it will be ‘Oh, that’s our wedding day. That’s the day that we took back, and we made it ours.’”
Both at the age of 48, the couple is among many directly impacted by the shooting who continue to navigate through the deep physical and emotional scars. For numerous survivors, the anniversary evokes painful memories that resurface.
Megan Vozzella, aged 39, experiences daily nightmares about the horrific event. Her husband, Steve, was one of the victims at Schemengees Bar & Grille. She recalls the anguish of watching him struggle for life as he managed to crawl outside. “I’m always going to have nightmares. As we get closer and closer, I don’t sleep well,” she stated.
Megan, who is deaf, communicates through a sign language interpreter. Among the casualties were her husband and three mutual friends who were also deaf, all of whom she remembered fondly from their time at the same school. Just two weeks away from celebrating their first wedding anniversary, Megan reflects on the loss of her husband and a significant part of her community, saying, “The world is upside-down.”
In honor of the victims, Lewiston is organizing a ceremony on the anniversary to pay tribute to the lives lost, the survivors, first responders, and all who were affected by the incident. The event will feature music, messages from speakers, and moments of silence.
The mass shooting began shortly before 7 p.m. at the Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley, where Army reservist Robert Card opened fire with a semiautomatic rifle, killing eight people in just under a minute before heading to the bar to claim another ten lives. He later took his own life.
“It was just a group of people hanging out, doing something we love,” said Dyer, recalling the carefree atmosphere that turned chaotic. He vividly remembers trying to stop the bleeding from his wounds as he spotted Card aiming at him, a moment that could have ended his life. Dyer managed to survive, but he lost a finger and the use of his right arm, forcing him to adjust to daily tasks and to embrace his left-handedness in everything he does.
As he reflects on his experience, he acknowledges, “I still live that day, but I’m alive.”
In the wake of the tragedy, both the Army and law enforcement faced scrutiny for not taking action to confiscate Card’s firearms despite his declining mental health and troubling behavior. A growing number of survivors and victims’ families are seeking legal actions against the Army.
Maine has since enacted stricter gun laws, enhancing its ‘yellow flag’ law but stopping short of banning assault weapons, which some advocates pushed for. The U.S. surgeon general highlighted gun violence as a critical public health crisis, calling for comprehensive measures to protect communities.
Despite his traumatic experience, Dyer maintains his stance on gun ownership, believing it’s not the weapon itself but the intent behind its use that poses a risk. “Your car can be a lethal weapon if you want it to be,” he remarked, emphasizing that his appreciation for hunting has not wavered.
In contrast, Vozzella views the issue from a different angle, attributing the tragedy to systemic failures in mental health services, expressing her frustration over the missed opportunities to prevent the shooting. Her daughter remains anxious about attending school, fearing a potential shooting incident. Both have found moments of solace in camping trips and family gatherings to help them cope with their grief.
As a tribute to her late husband, Vozzella got a tattoo shortly after the incident, featuring a heart with angel wings and the words “In Loving Memory Stephen M Vozzella.” She acknowledges, “It’s never easier. For the rest of my life, it’s not going to be easy to keep going. But I’m slowly moving on every day and finding my new normal.”