North Texas Musician Eric Keyes Shocked To Learn His Therapist Is Father Of El Paso Mass Shooting Suspect
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Since he was shot by a "crazed fan" in 2012, North Texas musician Eric Keyes' has dealt with the physical and mental after-effects of gun violence.
After the El Paso mass shooting that resulted in 22 deaths and 24 people injured, he learned the therapist helping him heal is the suspect's father.
"I didn't believe it," Keyes said. "I didn't believe it. I said are you sure? Because this is not even funny to me."
Keyes said he knew his therapist had family, but never talked about them. They just mostly focused on treatment.
Bryan Crusius, the father of mass shooting suspect Patrick Crusius, treated the musician for PTSD.
"We just talked about me getting shot and the circumstances around it and how it affected me and we worked through that," Keyes said.
Keyes said Bryan Crusius made him a GoFundMe page to raise money for his care.
"He's wonderful and I'm so heartbroken over this," Keyes said.
The day after the El Paso mass shooting, Keyes texted his therapist and received a glimpse into the thoughts of the suspect's father.
"'Eric, keep my family in your thoughts during this tragedy' and I cried when I read that," he said
Keyes said his new single, out Wednesday, couldn't come at a better time.
"Twenty-two funerals are happening," he said. "I'm lucky I survived. I feel I have an obligation to speak about this."
"His first single that he released tonight is called "Tuesday," because he was shot on a Tuesday, contains a message against gun violence," Keyes' attorney, Larry Friedman, said.
"What I'm trying to do from an artist perspective is bring peace, love and harmony to the world," Keyes said.
Keyes spent two years working on "Tuesday."
The video was shot in Las Vegas, honoring the victims of the 2017 shooting.