NIU survivor re-lived shooting for best friend
Patrick Korellis, a fan of all things weather and Greek-related, was one of dozens of students in the geology class when the shooting started.
By the time it was over, he was one of several victims bleeding and battered, but still alive.
The 22-year-old Lindenhurst resident was shot in the back of his neck, near the base of his skull, and in his arm. Yet he was well enough hours later to take phone calls from family and friends. He even added a couple new pals on Facebook and saw a visitor or two.
Christine Korkowski was one of those visitors.
She first met Korellis in the sixth grade. She said they've been best friends ever since. In fact, Korellis spent countless hours with Korkowski in a hospital just last year when she needed kidney dialysis because of systemic lupus erythematosus, a chronic inflammation condition.
On Thursday night, the tables had turned. When Korellis described what happened, Korkowski found herself wishing she could've taken her friend's place to save him the pain.
"He described last night what he saw," Korkowski said in an e-mail interview. "He even held up an invisible gun, one shot after another. He told me everyone hit the floor. He was crawling up the ramp toward the exit. Then when he went to stand up, he got hit. He said he felt the back of his head and blood was all over his hand."
The blood was gone by the time Korkowski visited Korellis.
"He looks pretty normal other than the bandages," she said.
It's unclear when Korellis plans on returning to school. He's been released from the hospital and was at home in Lindenhurst as of Friday.
Korellis is a senior majoring in both geology and meteorology. He interned for WGN-TV's chief meteorologist Tom Skilling.
"I'm losing it," an emotional Skilling said Thursday night. "This is horrible! Oh my god! I can't even imagine what the parents and family members of these young people are going through right now. We're worried sick."
Korkowski said it appears Korellis will be just fine.
"Patrick is doing good, as good as he can be for getting shot twice," she said.