COLORADO SPRINGS — Tuesday marks two years since tragedy struck at Club Q. That night two years ago, three people confronted and took down the Club Q shooter. One of the men is Thomas James, who was shot in the chest, spent seven days in the hospital and went through a long recovery.
“They can try. They can try and stomp us out, but we will rise,” James said.
Looking back at the past two years, James uses a flower to describe his journey.
“Dandelions grow out of the pavement. You know, people stomp them out, but then they just come back stronger and there's more of them. S,o it's like that,” James said.
It's a journey that James is still trying to navigate.
“I've done everything from cry about it, spend money, just do anything to create a distraction. I've drank. I've had some very, you know, some very bad habits with that. And then think, as I'm finally coming towards that acceptance, I've decided to take on sobriety and be more available for my community,” James said.
WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES THAT YOU'VE FACED?
“I think the biggest one would be finding my place in the community. Former active duty, I was always traveling all over the place, never really setting any roots down. And now that I'm finally setting roots down, it's been challenging to find that spot, that little niche for myself.”
James served 13 years in the United States Navy. He retired this year for medical reasons.
WHAT IS LIFE LIKE YOU TODAY?
“To be honest, pretty boring since retirement,” James said.
James decided to start a business.
“It's an LLC called Tom Fuller Productions. We specialize in visual effects, post production for film,” James said.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO TAKE ON THAT CAREER PATH?
“It started during my convalescence. After being shot, I couldn't really do much, so I started actually poking around with the art programs I told myself I was going to get to. And then one thing led to another, and I found it. It was an amazing outlet. You know, art is an incredible outlet for anyone. I said I wanted to turn it into something more substantial and build a business out of it,” James said.
HAS ART ALLOWED YOU OR PLAYED A ROLE IN YOUR HEALING PROCESS?
“It has a lot. I've done art to try and memorialize the Q in my own way. I've just given it out to some friends, loved ones, and just for myself, just having something I could focus my emotions into,” James said.
Art, sobriety, exercise, and community has helped guide James. He has taken these past two years to focus on himself and his healing, so that he can then better help others.
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE?
“Hold on. Hold on to your loved ones and don't be afraid to reach out. Two years ago, I said that statement to those out there afraid to come out, we're here waiting for you, that when you do come out, come out swinging. I mean that now more than ever, that when you come out, we're here. You come out swinging,” James said.
He said this time of the year can be difficult for members of the LGBTQ+ community. He encourages people to reach out to the organization Prism Community Collective, which is a LGBTQ+ resource center in Colorado Springs.
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