On a gray November morning in 1984, the relative quiet of Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, was shattered by the sound of gunfire. It was November 12th, and what began as a typical Monday for University of Oregon athletes would end in tragedy and a harrowing tale of survival. Rick OShea, a standout wrestler for the university, was among those at the stadium that day, utilizing the weight room in the east end zone. When he stepped outside, he was confronted by a chilling directive from a figure in the distance.
The man, later identified as 19-year-old Michael Feher, was positioned under the cover of the south side of the stadium. He yelled at O'Shea to get back inside and then fired his weapon. O'Shea was struck by shrapnel from a ricocheting bullet, sustaining injuries to his neck, legs, and buttock. He managed to run back into the weight room, shouting that he had been shot. Initially met with disbelief, his bleeding wounds quickly conveyed the grim reality of the situation.
While O'Shea and his teammates were plunged into a state of shock and fear, another athlete was not as fortunate. Chris Brathwaite, a 36-year-old former University of Oregon track athlete and a two-time Olympic sprinter for his home country of Trinidad and Tobago, was jogging on Pre's Trail near the stadium. Feher shot and killed Brathwaite during his rampage. After firing more than 60 rounds, the sniper, Michael Feher, took his own life. The incident, which left one man dead and another wounded, was carried out solely by Feher, who was the only suspect involved. Rick OShea, a male, survived the attack that day and would later recount the terrifying moments that changed his life forever.
