(phone ringing)

- [Narrator] On January16th, 1996, Harold McDonald

was running errands whenhe received a phone call

no parent wants to get.

- My pastor had told meto rush to the hospital,

because Shanny had been in an accident.

- [Narrator] By the timeHarold arrived at the hospital,

his six-year-old daughter, Shantaya,

whom he affectionatelycalled Shanny, had died.

- I couldn't believe it.

It's like something punched me in the gut

and took the life out of me

because...

that's all had!

- [Narrator] Harold, who hadsole custody of his daughter,

learned she had droppeda picture she had drawn

for him in the street.

When she went back topick it up, a car hit her,

leaving her with fatal injuries.

In his pain and grief,Harold turned his focus

toward the driver, who never stopped.

- I wanted to be pleasing to God

and whatever I can do to be that example,

I was willing to do it, even if it hurts.

I was willing to forgive.

- [Narrator] By now,the heartbreaking story

of Shanny's death had hit the local news.

What touched the communityeven more was Harold's response

when reporters asked if he had a message

for the person responsible fortaking his daughter's life.

- I pleaded with him to turn himself in.

And I said, "I loveyou and God loves you."

- [Narrator] The next day, Mandrell Sweeny

turned himself in to the police.

Harold didn't press charges.

The young man was chargedwith a misdemeanor

for leaving the scene of anaccident and released on bond.

The following day, Haroldvisited Mandrell at his home.

- And here this youngguy, 18 years old, said,

"Harold, I am so sorry.

"I didn't see your baby.

"I didn't see her.

"I was going too fast andwould you please forgive me?"

And as I extended forgiveness to Mandrell,

Mandrell began to just cryand he came and he hugged me

and I had the opportunityto pray with him.

Forgiveness wasn't for Mandrell.

It was for me.

And it started the processof healing instantly.

- [Narrator] More than 500 people gathered

at Shanny's funeral.

- I was an example to ourcommunity on how to forgive,

how to give grace, how to love,

how to just let it go.

- [Narrator] A year later,Harold fulfilled his dream

and opened his barbershop.

As he emerged as a strongpillar in the community,

he was still grieving thedeath of his daughter.

- I would wake up where Iwould dream that she was here

with me and the prayersI would pray is just,

"God, help me.

"Lord help me."

- [Narrator] By then,Harold's story and gesture

of forgiveness had fadedfrom the public eye,

yet some still remembered.

One was Dalonika, whorecalls talking to Harold

in his shop about his daughter.

- That man who was ontelevision, his personality,

his ability to forgive,I felt like he was just

unreal as a person.

- [Narrator] That starteda friendship that led

to their marriage, three years later.

During that time, Dalonikasaw on a deeper level,

the grief her husband was going through.

- He still hurt.

Did he forgive?

He had nothing but goodto say about Mandrell.

There was no denial that Harold

loved this man with a God-like love.

- [Narrator] Haroldbelieves that forgiveness,

along with Dalonika's prayers and support,

brought healing and anend to the nightmares.

- The type of life that I would be living,

if I would not have forgiven Mandrell,

would have been a lifeof pain, life of revenge

and life of anger.

And I would not have met my wife!

But because of it,

I'm able to live in the fullness of life.

- [Narrator] On January 16th, 2021,

as they've done for years,the family released balloons

to remember Shanny's life.

One balloon for each year.

- Releasing the balloons

is significant of releasing love

and peace and joy and happiness.

And this is what I believe

that Shanny was on this earth for.

- [Narrator] Ever since,Harold found his own

healing from grief.

He gives people in his barber'schair more than a haircut.

He offers counsel to thosestruggling with forgiveness.

The couple also have a weekly radio show,

where they minister to married couples.

They also co-authored abook on Harold's journey

of forgiveness that ledto his total healing.

- Let God heal your heart.

And it doesn't matterif it's seven times 77,

give it back to God andsay I choose to forgive

and trust God to heal you.

- God can heal you and He can set you free

from all the struggle, allthe pain, all the heartache.

You gotta trust that God got it.