WINDER, Ga. — For many in the community, there are a lot of emotions that come with trying to process what happened at Apalachee High School just 19 days ago.
While the students and staff are brave and supporting one another before going back to school on Tuesday, Sept. 24, there's a lot of anxiety, hoping it will be safe.
RELATED: Reopening of Apalachee High ahead of classes resuming a 'huge step for us healing,' sheriff says
"There's a lot of emotions with the school going back. There's a lot of fear, there's a lot of anxiety," Sarah Beaver said.
The mom of an Apalachee marching band member has been focused on her 15-year-old son's healing. The journey is both physical and mental.
"I do think that Jaxson, there's a small part of him that's ready to, like, get back to a routine, but I definitely think that it's going to be a little bit of a struggle for him and for myself," Beaver said,
On Sept. 4, Jaxson and other classmates rushed during the school shooting to help a student hit in his math class. Jaxson was injured, too.
"They call it a shrapnel wound. Six pieces of shrapnel was lodged into his leg, really deep into his upper thigh muscle," Beaver said. "They made the decision not to remove it for now because it would do more harm than good. If it starts to bother him in the future, then he'll have to get a pretty serious surgery."
While he recovers and gets ready to go back to school, Sarah hopes his time on the field with the marching band will ease his pain.
"He's been in band since sixth grade in middle school. This is his first year in marching band. He plays the saxophone. Jaxson has ADHD, and I was a little bit worried about that, with him needing to memorize music and steps, but he loves it. He was so excited for football games and to be on the field with them," Beaver stated.
Beaver said she is so glad all the other kids accepted her son and he gets to do what he loves.
"They have all just, like, grown from this, and they've all stuck together," Beaver stated. "It's just an amazing group of kids."
That's why the Apalachee Marching Cats' upcoming trip to London to showcase their talent in the 2026 New Year's Eve Parade means the world.
And Beaver hopes the entire marching band can go on the trip.
"They've all been so resilient and brave," Beaver said.
She said she wants her son to know it's OK to live and continue with life while feeling all the emotions that come with this tragedy.
"That it's going to be hard, and there's a lot of emotions. It's okay to to feel sad and to feel all of the emotions that come with this, but I need him, more importantly, to know that it's okay for him to be okay," Beaver said.
The trip to London is costing just about $4,100 per person so she is fundraising to send Jaxson on the trip of his dreams. If you'd like to support them you can here. They're looking to raise enough money to send them both on the trip.
This mom and her son's story is just one at many at Apalachee High School. A prayer service was held Monday night for parents, students and staff members to support everyone as the community starts a new chapter on Tuesday.