“He’s a walking miracle,” Harvey says. “We couldn’t be happier at the way things are turning out.”
Terren, 26, was the passenger in a vehicle that had stopped at a traffic light near Qwest Field around 2:15 a.m. on August 20. A passenger in the rear seat of another car at the light suddenly started shooting.
One bullet struck Terren in the hand and passed through a cell phone he was using, causing damage to his jaw and chin. He moved to protect the driver, and the second bullet hit him in the back, ricocheting off a rib and into his shoulder.
Terren underwent eight hours of surgery to repair his jaw and hand. He is expected to undergo another surgery in October to rebuild his chin. Doctors are waiting to see how his hand continues to heal before determining whether to operate again.
Even as he heals physically, Terren is doing well emotionally, Harvey says. Terren doesn’t remember the shooting and has been able to drive without reservation.
Harvey and his wife, Andrea, also are doing better emotionally. “The better Terren gets, the better we get.” He recalls, however, the helplessness he felt while his son was in the hospital. “I could just hold him and cry.”
Harvey says he experienced the anger of a father toward whoever shot his son, but adds he remains committed to ministries seeking to end the violence. “I think it just strengthened my resolve because so much needs to be done to stop this madness.”
The Drakes are grateful to Shane Cassell, Terren’s close friend since childhood, who was driving when the shooting occurred. Despite being grazed by a bullet, Cassell rushed Terren to the hospital.
The Drakes’ church, Emerald City Bible Fellowship, a Covenant congregation, has rallied around the family, Harvey says. “The church community has been incredible.”
“Andrea and I also are extremely grateful to the Evangelical Covenant Church family for their support during this season in our lives,” Harvey adds. “We received so many call, emails, text
messages, cards and some flowers and a gift for which we are grateful.”
Police have no suspects and have been unable to determine a motive for the shooting, Harvey says.