ANTIOCH, Tenn. (WKRN) – A mother who credits a waitress at the Antioch Waffle House where four people were killed in a mass shooting with helping save her son’s life was able to pay it forward by getting her a beautiful wedding dress.
Michael Garth Sr. said the waitress asked him and a friend not to sit at the bar that April morning because she was washing dishes and didn’t want the water to splash on them.
Garth said he and his friend found another place to sit and that location may have saved their lives as the gunman fired into the diner.
Months later, Garth’s mother took action and tracked down the young lady who inadvertently helped keep her son out of danger.
She learned she was getting married soon and was able to purchase her wedding gown for her.
A nearly naked gunman wearing only a green jacket and brandishing an assault rifle stormed the Waffle House restaurant on Murfreesboro Pike in the early morning hours of April 22, shooting four people to death before James Shaw Jr. rushed him and wrestled the weapon away.
The victims fatally shot in the parking lot have been identified as Taurean Sanderlin, 29, of Goodlettsville, and Joe Perez, 20. Sanderlin was an employee at the restaurant.
One of the fatally wounded inside was DeEbony Groves, a 21-year-old student at Nashville’s Belmont University. She was remembered as an exceptional student who made the dean’s list and a tenacious basketball player.
Akilah Dasilva was also killed inside the restaurant. The 23-year-old from Antioch was a rap artist and music video producer.