KHAY radio in Ventura dedicates morning to Route 91 victims and survivors

While vigils are being held across the country for the victims of the Route 91 attack, KHAY country radio station dedicated the morning to the victims and the survivors.

Chris Cox is the program director and operations manager at KHAY country radio station in Ventura. He said this tragedy that took place in Las Vegas is something people will never forget.

“What happened is the entire country family changed a year ago, but like a family, the country family bonded together,” said Cox. “It’s unlike any other radio audience that I have ever seen.”

Along with other country stations across the country, KHAY went silent at 10:05 Monday morning for the 58 victims from last year’s rampage in Las Vegas.

This was just the beginning of a day dedicated to the memory of the victims. KHAY opened phone lines to listeners who were there when the gunman opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest festival.

“We had listeners on this morning who told tragic stories, who told funny stories believe it or not, and one who told a great romantic story that came out of Route 91,” said Cox. “One person helped another and saved them and they got to know each other and they realized one was from Camarillo and another from Ventura and long story short, they are married and a baby is on the way. This is what they call their morale baby.”

The country’s deadliest mass shooting hits close to home. Many country fans from up and down the coast not only attended last year but became victims.

“It seems like everyone in county music knows someone who was there or was there themselves,” said Cox. “Our station had sent a lot of listeners there too so we were very concerned that night. We stayed up and tried to track down as many as we possibly could. Thank god they all were.”

KHAY also put a therapist on air to give help and advice for the many still dealing with such a tragic event.