Kelsea Ballerini’s new book of poetry dives deep into the singer’s life including a previous eating disorder and a tragic moment that shaped her.
On CBS Mornings Monday, she opened up about witnessing the death of a classmate by gun violence in her high school cafeteria.
Kelsea, was a sophomore at Central High School, in Knoxville, Tennessee, when her classmate, fifteen-year-old Ryan McDonald, was shot by a fellow student, Jamar Siler.
‘With this particular situation, you know, I’ve never talked about it before but as the book was forming I was realizing that if I’m gonna talk about the things that have made me me, I certainly can’t avoid this,’ she said.
Kelsea describes witnessing the shooting in her new book writing, ‘His name was Ryan, and he died on the cafeteria floor from a gunshot wound to the chest. I can’t be too sure, but I think I saw him breathe his last breath.’
‘I’m scared of loud noises, I’m triggered by the news, I’m terrified of guns, I’m sensitive in crowds. But I’m alive.
‘And because of a boy named Ryan, I know what a gift that is.’
Kelsea shared on CBS that following the tragedy, ‘I think I became very aware of [the fact that] life is short.’
Kelsea’s new book, Feel Your Way Through: A Book of Poetry, is in stores now.
Watch Kelsea’s interview below.
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