When Delaney Tarr survived the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, her life split in two. One part became instantly visible: the fiery, articulate youth activist who co-founded March for Our Lives and stood on national stages demanding change. The other part—quieter, more complicated—was still inside the girl who had to hide in a closet and text her parents goodbye while her classmates were being murdered.

In this raw and fiercely poetic episode of Alive Again, Delaney recounts her experience in two acts: a spellbinding live performance at Write Club Atlanta, followed by an intimate studio conversation. With striking metaphors—like the lifecycle of a fig or the stench of rotting flowers—Delaney reflects on trauma, identity, media scrutiny, and the strange burden of becoming a symbol before she had time to grieve.

And just weeks after recording this, Delaney’s younger sister survived a school shooting of her own, echoing the tragedy that upended Delaney’s life nearly seven years earlier. The cycle continues. But so does Delaney.

This is not just a story about surviving a mass shooting—it's about the rot that remains, the uncomfortable beauty in grief, and what it means to carry a cause through years of transformation.

Story producer: Nicholas Tecosky

Learn More:
Delaney is a freelance writer, reporter, and photographer based in Atlanta, GA. You can explore her work and advocacy at delaneytarr.wordpress.com

You can follow Delaney on Instagram and X: @delaneytarr

To find out more about March for Our Lives and to support the movement:marchforourlives.com

* If you have a transformative near-death experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at aliveagainproject@gmail.com

When Delaney Tarr survived the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, her life split in two. One part became instantly visible: the fiery, articulate youth activist who co-founded March for Our Lives and stood on national stages demanding change. The other part&mdash;quieter, more complicated&mdash;was still inside the girl who had to hide in a closet and text her parents goodbye while her classmates were being murdered.
In this raw and fiercely poetic episode of Alive Again, Delaney recounts her experience in two acts: a spellbinding live performance at Write Club Atlanta, followed by an intimate studio conversation. With striking metaphors&mdash;like the lifecycle of a fig or the stench of rotting flowers&mdash;Delaney reflects on trauma, identity, media scrutiny, and the strange burden of becoming a symbol before she had time to grieve.
And just weeks after recording this, Delaney&rsquo;s younger sister survived a school shooting of her own, echoing the tragedy that upended Delaney&rsquo;s life nearly seven years earlier. The cycle continues. But so does Delaney.
This is not just a story about surviving a mass shooting&mdash;it's about the rot that remains, the uncomfortable beauty in grief, and what it means to carry a cause through years of transformation.
Story producer: Nicholas Tecosky
Learn More: Delaney is a freelance writer, reporter, and photographer based in Atlanta, GA. You can explore her work and advocacy at <a href="http://delaneytarr.wordpress.com">delaneytarr.wordpress.com</a>
You can follow Delaney on Instagram and X: @delaneytarr
To find out more about March for Our Lives and to support the movement:<a href="https://marchforourlives.com"> </a><a href="http://marchforourlives.com">marchforourlives.com</a>
* If you have a transformative near-death experience to share, we&rsquo;d love to hear your story. Please email us at <a href="mailto:aliveagainproject@gmail.com">aliveagainproject@gmail.com</a>

That which doesn’t kill us…

Hosted by award-winning filmmaker Dan Bush, Alive Again is a weekly series featuring extraordinary stories from people who faced death—and came back changed. From near-death experiences to near-fatal accidents and moments of profound crisis, each episode dives into the transformation that happens on the other side of survival.

Told in their own words, these first-hand accounts explore not just what happened in the moment, but how everything changed after: perspectives, priorities, purpose. Some stories are miraculous. Others are brutal. All of them are unforgettable.

Our mission is to find, explore, and share these stories to remind us all of our shared human condition.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you don’t die– this show is for you.

* If you have a transformative near-death experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at aliveagainproject@gmail.com

That which doesn&rsquo;t kill us&hellip;
Hosted by award-winning filmmaker Dan Bush, Alive Again is a weekly series featuring extraordinary stories from people who faced death&mdash;and came back changed. From near-death experiences to near-fatal accidents and moments of profound crisis, each episode dives into the transformation that happens on the other side of survival.
Told in their own words, these first-hand accounts explore not just what happened in the moment, but how everything changed after: perspectives, priorities, purpose. Some stories are miraculous. Others are brutal. All of them are unforgettable.
Our mission is to find, explore, and share these stories to remind us all of our shared human condition.
If you&rsquo;ve ever wondered what happens when you don&rsquo;t die&ndash; this show is for you.
* If you have a transformative near-death experience to share, we&rsquo;d love to hear your story. Please email us at <a href="mailto:aliveagainproject@gmail.com">aliveagainproject@gmail.com</a>

Alive Again

11 | What the Wasp Left Behind: Delaney Tarr’s Story

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/30e083fe-a846-4a54-a5b5-b2f7017b92a9/transcript

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