"We don't want you to feel alone:" How victim advocates help in the hardest of times

Tragedy happens far too often, and when it does, people are left picking up the pieces of a life forever changed.

However, there are people available to help victims, from the moment a crime occurs.

IN THE WAKE OF THE DEADLIESTMASS SHOOTING IN COLORADOSPRINGS HISTORY...PEOPLE ARE LEFT, PICKING UP THEPIECES.TRAUMA LIKE THAT -- NEVER TRULYGOES AWAY...AND HAPPENS FAR TOO OFTEN.BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HELPVICTIMS EVERY STEP OF THE WAYTOWARD JUSTICE...WHO'S HARD WORK, ISN'T SEEN BYTHE PUBLIC...OUR COLETTE BORDELON IS LIVEOUTSIDE THE EL PASO COUNTYCOURTHOUSE...WITH A STORY ON WHAT IT MEANS,TO BE A VICTIM'S ADVOCATE.COLETTE?IF THE WALLS OF THE COURTROOMSCOULD TALK...THE STORIES, WOULD STICK WITHMOST PEOPLE...FOR YEARS, AFTER HEARING THEM.BUT FOR THE VICTIMS INVOLVED --THAT'S THEIR WHOLE LIFE.SO HAVING SOMEONE, TO BE WITHTHEM...DURING THE MANY TWISTS AND TURNSOF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM...MEANS MORE, THAN ANY WORDS CANSAY.NAT:SHOT OF NATALIE'S PICTUREOUTSIDE COURTHOUSEFOR NATALIE'S MEMORY, I WANT TOTRY AND LIVE THE BEST LIFE THATI CAN, SHE WOULD HAVE WANTEDTHAT FOR ME TRACK: NAMES WENEVER FORGET...NAT:GANNON FOOTAGEOBVIOUSLY WE KNOW WHAT THE WORSTNEWS IS BUT THE BEST NEWS ISTHAT JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED, ANDI'LL MAKE SURE THAT JUSTICE ISSERVED, BECAUSE MY BOY DID NOTDESERVE ANY OF THIS THAT HASHAPPENED TO HIM TRACK: ANDREALITIES, WE CAN'T IMAGINE.NAT:VIALPANDO FOOTAGEI NEVER REALLY GAVE UP HOPECOMPLETELY, BUT IT HAS BEEN ALONG TIME, AND I'M SO GLAD THATTHE DAY HAS COME TRACK: LONGROADS -- AND JOURNEYS THAT NEVERTRULY END...ALL COMING TOGETHER, IN ACOURTHOUSE.SOT: "THE COURT SYSTEM'SOVERWHELMING, IT CAN BEFRIGHTENING, AND IT'S A SLOWPROCESS." TRACK: ONE YOU DON'TWANT TO GO THROUGH, ALONE.SOT: "I SUPPORT VICTIMS OFCRIME, OR THEIR FAMILIES, INHOMICIDE CASES, THROUGH THECOURT PROCESS.THAT WOULD BE THE QUICK VERSIONOF WHAT WE DO."TRACK: FOR FOURTEEN YEARS --KIMBERLY SORRELS HAS BEEN AVICTIM ADVOCATE...SOMETHING MANY OF THE PEOPLE SHEWORKS WITH, DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED.SOT: "JUST ARE SO SURPRISED THATTHERE ARE ADVOCATES, THATTHERE'S SOMEBODY THAT WILL WALKTHEM THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE'LLBE THERE WHEN THEY CALL, OREMAIL, OR TEXT.SOMEBODY THAT WILL SIT WITH THEMIN COURT." TRACK: RESTORING SOMETRUST IN HUMANITY...SHATTERED BY PAIN.SOT: "IT TAKES TIME, RIGHT?

TIGIVE.THE VICTIM ADVOCACY UNIT MAKESSURE PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO APPLYFOR COMPENSATION...FOR THINGS LIKE MEDICAL BILLS,LOST WAGES, AND EVEN FUNERALCOSTS.RIGHT NOW -- THERE ARE JUST OVERA DOZEN ADVOCATES WITH THE D-A'SOFFICE FOR EL PASO COUNTY...THEY SAY THEY ALWAYS NEED MORE,TO KEEP UP WITH THE CASES, THATUNFORTUNATELY -- KEEP COMING IN.AWOFY, CS, CB N5.