Lessons from the Shadow of Robin Westman

Robin Westman’s story is a hard one to face. His actions shook a community, wounded innocent lives, and left behind a trail of fear and unanswered questions. Let me be clear: nothing in his choices can ever be excused or condoned. Violence leaves scars that ripple across families, schools, and entire towns, and those wounds cannot be erased by words.

But as the wolf looks at what happened, it is not to justify. It is to understand the deeper storm that brewed beneath his surface — not to excuse the destruction, but to learn how to keep others from following that same path.

The Struggle Beneath the Surface

Robin’s identity as a transgender individual was widely spoken of after the tragedy. But identity itself is not the cause of violence. The truth is, countless transgender people live lives of resilience, grace, and courage without harming anyone. The wolf must make this distinction: what destroys a life is not who someone is, but the unchecked weight of inner turmoil — alienation, rejection, untreated pain, and silence that grows heavy until it snaps.

For Robin, we may never know all the storms that churned inside. But what we can recognize is that before any tragic act, there are often warning signs — symptoms of someone spiraling toward collapse.

Symptoms We Must Learn to See

The wolf reminds you: danger rarely explodes without sparks. There are patterns that families, friends, and teachers can learn to notice:

 • Withdrawal from trusted relationships, suddenly becoming distant.

 • Escalating anger, agitation, or talk that feels unusually intense.

 • Obsessive focus on grievances, replaying hurts again and again.

 • Expressing hopelessness, or saying life has no meaning.

 • Abandonment of routines, hygiene, or responsibilities once cared about.

 • Direct or veiled threats — words that hint at violence, revenge, or escape.

Too often, people dismiss these as “moods” or “just stress.” But when the pattern builds, when the intensity deepens, these are red flags. They are calls to action — to report, to intervene, to connect someone to help before pain turns into tragedy.

The Anxiety Ripple

When an event like Robin’s erupts, it doesn’t just affect the direct victims. It shakes the confidence of every family, every student, every community member. Parents begin to wonder if their children are safe at school. Students wonder if they can trust the faces in their classroom. Anxiety spreads like wildfire.

This fear is real, and it is human. But the wolf warns: do not let fear become your prison. Anxiety after tragedy often whispers lies — that the world is unsafe, that isolation is safer, that silence is the only shield. But hiding feeds the very cycle that leads to loneliness, disconnection, and further despair.

Finding Courage Against Fear

The wolf offers these steps, not as cures, but as footholds when the mountain feels too steep:

 • Limit the spiral. Constantly consuming tragic news deepens fear. Step back when your heart feels heavy.

 • Speak the fear aloud. To a parent, to a friend, to a counselor — fear loses its fangs when shared.

 • Anchor in what is present. Practice grounding: notice five things around you, take three deep breaths, put both feet firmly on the earth. This reminds the body it is safe now.

 • Choose connection over withdrawal. Join the circle of community: talk, walk, volunteer, or pray together. Fear isolates; unity heals.

 • Remember your agency. You are not powerless. If you see warning signs, you can report. If you feel anxiety, you can speak. If you feel alone, you can reach out.

The wolf reminds you: courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is choosing connection and truth in spite of fear.

A Prayer for the Families and Students

Before the wolf closes this reflection, let us pause in reverence for those who were most deeply wounded:

“Creator of mercy and of peace,

Hold close the families who grieve in the shadow of Robin’s actions.

Wrap your arms around the students who wake with fear, who carry anxiety into classrooms meant for learning, laughter, and growth.

Give strength to the parents who whisper prayers at night, unsure how to protect their children from unseen storms.

Bring comfort to every soul shaken, and guide us as communities to see, to listen, to act before silence breeds sorrow.

May those lost in violence find eternal rest,

And may those living in its wake find courage, healing, and light for tomorrow.

Amen.”

Final Wolf Reflection:

Robin Westman’s actions are a reminder of what is lost when inner storms go unseen and unspoken. His story is not one of excuse, but one of warning. And the wolf calls you to this: notice the symptoms, report what troubles your spirit, choose courage over silence, and do not let fear isolate you from the pack. Healing belongs not just to individuals, but to all of us — together.