It was 8:00 a.m. on a typical Monday morning until it wasn’t. When Patrice Witten walked into work that day as part of a school administration team in Dallas, she had no reason to believe her life would be forever changed before the first hour was over. What followed became the most terrifying 45 minutes of her life, a window of time that would test not only her resolve but everything she believed about preparedness, trust, and training.
Patrice was held hostage in her office for approximately seven minutes by a 16-year-old armed student. During the incident, police fired through a door in an attempt to stop him, though their rounds did not strike the attacker. No one was physically wounded that day, but the emotional and psychological impact is permanent. Patrice was not only incidentally shot at; she was a hostage, and surviving that reality reshaped how she thinks about safety forever.
What struck me most during our conversation on the Destination #NEVERHERE™ podcast wasn’t fear; it was clarity. Patrice told me the most important lesson she learned was the value of strong, trusted relationships with law enforcement before something happens. Knowing your local police and understanding how they operate and train, and having them be a part of the everyday operation by an open-door invitation. She was adamant; this is not from a place of panic, but from a place of knowledge.
She emphasized something we don’t talk about enough: training should not be fear-based but instead, knowledge-based. Real-world, calm, practical training that helps people understand what to do if the unthinkable shows up, not because we expect it to, but because life doesn’t stop for fear. Preparedness is not about believing violence will happen but refusing to be paralyzed if it does.
During the incident, Patrice demonstrated extraordinary composure. On two separate occasions, she convinced the student to put down the gun. Yet despite her efforts, the situation still escalated and ended with shots being fired before the student ultimately surrendered. Several minutes passed before 911 was even called, leaving her alone with her calm demeanor and an unknown outcome. At one point, Patrice told me, she took over fully aware that her fate might already be decided.
I asked her the hardest question I could think of: How do you live without fear after something like that, and how do you send your kids to school after experiencing an event like that? Her answer was simple and profound: real training, in real environments, without manufactured stress or panic.
This episode is one of the deepest, most meaningful conversations I’ve had across hundreds of podcasts. Patrice turned fear into action, not bravado, not denial, but disciplined readiness. For schools, teachers, administrators, and healthcare professionals, the message is clear: training is no longer optional, and assessments matter to understand your space better.
I asked Patrice what she would do differently next time. To hear her answer, and truly understand the blind spots we all carry, you’ll need to tune in.
This episode is titled “ATypical Monday Morning,” and it’s a reminder that preparedness doesn’t steal our joy; it protects it.
