June 19, 2026
Ten months after a bullet tore through Ben Varga's neck at Washington Park, he stood before a crowd at Denver Health on his 24th birthday, celebrating life and calling for an end to gun violence.
"I'm incredibly lucky to be here today, standing, walking, talking and seemingly unaffected from the incidents that happened on that day," Varga said at a Dec. 10, 2025 candlelight vigil honoring victims of gun violence. "However, most people aren't as lucky. Think about the hundreds of people who lose their lives to gun violence every day."
Varga was shot from behind on Feb. 2 in a random attack while walking to a picnic with friends. The bullet entered through the back of his neck, fractured his vertebrae, and exited through his jaw, leaving his jawbone in pieces.
Lakshmi Karra, MD, a Denver Health family medicine physician who was at the park with her 10-month-old that day, ran to help Varga after hearing the gunshot. She applied pressure to his wound with his picnic blanket until paramedics arrived and brought him to Denver Health's Level I trauma center.
"I can't imagine the bravery that it must take to run towards the scene of chaos, especially knowing that you're a mother and that you have children and so much to live for," Varga told Karra at the vigil. "And I'm so humbled by your outpouring of love for me."
New normal
Karra, who hosted the vigil, talked about how gun violence has become too normalized. In the moments following the shooting, the world around her didn't seem to notice it had happened.
"I turned around and life in Wash Park just kept going," she said. "The volleyball games kept going, the joggers kept jogging and the playgrounds were full of kids. It really still can't wrap my head around it. That should have stopped the whole world. And instead, it barely made our local front page.
"All of us in this room know very well the reverberations of gun violence last for days, weeks and years. The scars trace across individuals, through communities, and into our very nervous systems."
Denver Health treats hundreds of people with gunshot wounds each year, and nearly half of them are 25 or younger. Gun deaths have surpassed car deaths as the leading cause of death for children in the U.S.
Denver Health is among hospitals committed to taking a comprehensive public health approach to firearm safety. Its Firearm Safety Collaborative, which includes teams from across the health system, will continue to work with outside groups to develop a comprehensive strategy to prevent firearm violence in the community.
Hope for a safer Denver
Varga honored those less fortunate than himself, including people who lost their lives or have lifelong injuries from gun violence. He also thanked the health care workers, first responders and his family for supporting him through his recovery.
"I maintain hope for a safer future and a safer Denver," Varga said, encouraging his neighbors to look out for one another. "If you see something, say something. … We are as strong as our strongest advocate."
Varga's sister, Grace, his triplet, also works at Denver Health as a labor and delivery nurse. The vigil ended with a surprise birthday cake for the siblings.
"Definitely not taking any more birthdays for granted," Ben Varga said.
Varga spent weeks in the hospital and underwent nearly 10 surgeries, including a full jaw reconstruction, and wore a neck brace for three months while his vertebrae healed.
He now considers himself nearly fully recovered and is grateful for the thoughtful care he received at Denver Health.
