Fort Hood shooting survivors, victims' families grapple with Nidal Hasan's Dec. 3 execution

In December, many of the survivors and families of victims in the Fort Hood mass shooting will return to where their lives changed 17 years ago. This time, they will witness the execution of the man responsible.

Former Army Maj. Nidal Hasan will be the first person executed by the military since 1961. He will die by firing squad, something that hasn't happened in the military since 1945.

Over the past 17 years, the victims' families and the survivors have been bonded by the tragedy, a kind of unique family created by shared trauma. Returning to Fort Hood will be hard for many.

"My brother's story is bigger than how he died"

J.D. Hunt, 22, was among those killed Nov. 5, 2009. He was shot as he stood up to push others under a desk. His sister, Leila Hunt Willingham, won't be attending.

"I don't find peace in that. My peace comes from my faith," Willingham said.

Hasan killed 13 people and injured 32 that day. The unarmed soldiers were sitting inside the readiness center at the Army post as they prepared for deployment. Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, could be heard shouting "Allahu Akbar" before firing more than 140 times.

For those affected, deciding whether to witness the execution is difficult. Families received an email before the announcement asking if they were interested in attending or watching online. Many survivors have posted that they plan to be there.

The decision is a tough one.

"It's a lot of emotions," said Army Reserve veteran Keara Torkelson, who was 21 when the shooting happened. She was shot twice; one bullet grazed the top of her head, and another lodged in her back.

"I saw the destruction this man made," she said in a video posted to her Facebook account.  "It affected my family and my life. It killed five of my friends from my unit. It's a lot. And seeing death? I don't feel like I want to see anymore death."

Torkelson said she hopes to be there to support other survivors but doesn't want to witness the execution.

"I want to be there for the other survivors"

Hasan was paralyzed from the chest down that day. 

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in an interview posted on the US Department of War Facebook page that the execution will be held at 1 p.m., the same time as the shooting in 2009. Hegseth said the execution will be public.

"He's going to get a firing squad of soldiers as it should be," Hegseth said. "We're going to make sure people can watch it, that it's public."

Willingham doesn't find closure in Hasan's execution.

"I refuse to let the man who took my brother's life take away my capacity to love, forgive, and hope," Willingham said.

Willingham said her faith has brought her peace.

"I believe that justice belongs to the proper authorities," Willingham said. "Judgment, though, belongs to God. I trust Jesus with my brother and Nidal Hasan's soul."

She added that she hopes Hasan will come to know the same God before that day.

"The main thing I would love to come out of this is that he (Hasan) would come to know Jesus before his final breath," Willingham said.