Deaf Community Advocate and Father of Four Among Victims in Maine Mass Shooting

Josh Seal, 36, an interpreter for Maine's daily COVID-19 briefings and director of interpreting services for disability aid organization Pine Tree Society, hailed for his initiatives for deaf youth; Gunman's parents had raised mental health concern months prior to his lethal rampage.

• Josh Seal, a deaf community advocate and father of four, was among the 18 victims of a mass shooting at a bar and a bowling alley in Maine. Seal couldn't hear the gunfire, but some deaf survivors said they felt the startling jolts.
• Seal, 36, was a key figure in Maine's deaf community, acting as an American Sign Language interpreter for daily COVID-19 briefings and director of interpreting services for the Pine Tree Society, an aid organization for people with disabilities.
• Seal also created the Pine Tree Camp Dirigo Experience for deaf youth and was praised as a tireless advocate, improving communication and understanding in countless situations. He was also remembered for his love towards his kids and his zeal for life.
• The gunman was an Army reservist who had been flagged by his parents for having mental health issues months before the shooting; he was found dead by apparent suicide after the massacre. The shooter also underwent a mental health evaluation after behaving erratically at a training facility months prior.
• Seal's loss left a big void not just in his family, but also in Maine's tight-knit deaf community. Of the nine deaf people present at the scene, four were killed and four were injured; only one survived unharmed.

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