This undated photo provided by Andy Sandness shows him before his injuries in 2006. Two days before Christmas, Sandness reached a breaking point. He'd been sad and drinking too much lately. That night after work while "super, super depressed," he grabbed a rifle from a closet. He stared at it for a while, then put a round in the chamber. He positioned the barrel beneath his chin, took a deep breath and pulled the trigger. Instantly, he knew he'd made a terrible mistake. When the police arrived, an officer who was a friend cradled him in his arms as Sandness begged, "Please, please don't let me die! I don't want to die!" (Courtesy or Andy Sandness via AP)