“I forgive you!” Says Christopher Rodriguez, a Paralyzed Boy to the Man Who Shot Him:

“I forgive you!” Says Christopher Rodriguez, a Paralyzed Boy to the Man Who Shot Him:
By Marc Chamot

For those who think that the Marc Chamot Blogspot is full of gloom and doom, get ready to be surprised. There are times when I read things that get my blood boiling mad and I write about it. There are also times when I read stuff that make me cry, and this is one of those times, so I decided to write about it.

It’s about a courageous little Oakland boy, a wonderful little boy, and a boy with a big heart and compassion. He might never get on Oprah, or on the Dr. Phil Show, and he may not even get on national TV shows, but he got into the San Francisco Chronicle and now he’s gotten into my blog.

This is about a sweet little 12 year old boy who was paralyzed last year by a robber’s stray bullet, a bullet that struck him while taking piano lessons in his own home.

It’s about a little boy who has a bigger heart than any of us can ever imagine, he puts us all to shame, and put’s me to shame too.

It’s about the art of forgiveness and having compassion for fellow human beings. It’s also about his wonderful parents who brought him up well. Whether his actions were by religious means, or by any other means, I don’t know, but I do believe that it was by religious means.

This little boy, Christopher Rodriguez will also shame most of those phony Christians who are roaming around, you know the ones I’m talking about?

Those Christians who usually claim to go to churches on Sundays, and pay their tithes to their local churches, and then by Monday morning, these phony Christians are looking into how to put their competitors out of business, lie, and steal from unsuspecting people.

Midwesterners should know what I’m talking about here, these phony Christians and their phony churches, which talk the talk but never deliver, on their religious convictions.

This boy showed some insight into our weaknesses as human beings, and as well as my weaknesses for forgiving people and having compassion, mainly with those who have done us some harm in the past.

Marc Chamot is still from that old school, eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth kind of thing, it sure isn’t pretty when a twelve-year-old bests you, and shows you up on this kind of thing.

Christopher Rodriguez began by addressing his shooter Jared Adams directly in court the guy that had left him possibly crippled for life, and tied down to a wheelchair. Adams sat a few feet away with his red jailhouse outfit.

Then Christopher begins, “I know it wasn’t your intention to shoot me, but remember, actions always have consequences, two of the bullets almost hit my mom. You could have killed my piano teacher, other students, yourself, your girlfriend and just normal people nearby.”

Adams looked into the little boy’s eyes. Then says, “I’m sorry for what I have done.”

After the Adam’s sentencing was over, then Christopher spontaneously rolled up his wheelchair to Adams side of the courtroom, to the man who had crippled him, and spoke to him. Christopher in a soft voice asked him, “I’m curious why you wanted to rob that place that day?”

Then Adams was taken aback by the questioning and friendly gesture from the boy, and asked Christopher to repeat himself before responding, which he then responds, “poor choices, poor choices.” Then the boy unexpectedly extended his hand to his shooter, who had left him paralyzed from a stray bullet, and in turn Adams met his grasp and then Christopher Rodriguez blurted out “I forgive you!”

A paralyzed boy who forgives the man who shot him?

Maybe Marc Chamot may never be in line to be Christopher Rodriguez’s hero, but I’ll tell you what folks? I’ll tell you that this kid with a big heart and a great smile is definitely my hero! Yes kido, you’re definitely a very good kid, and you’ve got a banner future for yourself. You'll see.