Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Deserae Turner, shot in the head when she was 14, has died at 22 after entering hospice care.
- Turner's resilience inspired many; she graduated high school, served as a missionary and married after the 2017 shooting.
- Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.
SALT LAKE CITY — Desarae Turner, who captivated the state with her perseverance after she was shot in the head and left to die in 2017, has died. She was 22.
Desarae Turner-Buck died Thursday evening, her family said in a statement. No cause of death was given, but her family announced she had entered hospice care earlier this month after developing septic pulmonary emboli.
"Des was deeply loved by her family, friends and all who had the privilege of knowing her," they wrote in a statement Friday. "Her vibrant spirit, kind heart and strength touched countless lives. Words cannot begin to express the pain and heartbreak we are feeling."
Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced over the next few days.
Turner was just 14 when she was shot in the back of the head by a classmate near Sky View High School in Smithfield, where they attended. Given a grim outlook at the time, she beat the odds and survived, although the bullet — something doctors were unable to remove — caused paralysis on the left side of her body, leading to problems with her seeing and walking.
"I told my dad that I am tougher than a bullet. It is still with me today," she told reporters after she was released from Primary Children's Hospital two months after the shooting.
Colter Peterson, 16 at the time of the shooting, was sentenced to 15 years to life for his actions two years later, after he pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder. Jayzon Decker, also 16 at the time, was given a similar sentence in 2018 after pleading guilty over his role in plotting the shooting.
Despite undergoing over 20 surgeries and having to relearn many basic skills, Turner graduated from high school and went on to serve a service mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, before she was married two years ago.
In sharing her story to Utah State University students in 2022, as part of an event on World Mental Health Day, she explained that her recovery was tough, but she made a decision to think about what makes her happy, and that made a large difference in her life.
"I was a beautiful flower and then I was cut down. But I've decided to rebloom and I am bigger and brighter than ever before," she said at the time.
However, her health declined from complications of her injuries.
Turner told KSL-TV earlier this month that she had blood clots building up all over her body, which made it difficult to breathe. She added she was ready "to take the steps to be in less agony" as she entered hospice care.
Her family set up a GoFundMe* to help them with expenses in her last days, which has collected over $50,000 They wrote Friday that they appreciate the support they've received from the community since revealing that Turner's health had taken a turn for the worse.
"We are overwhelmed by and grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support from the community during this unimaginably difficult time," they wrote. "As we begin to process this tragic loss, we kindly ask for privacy and space to grieve."
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
