Last year, Jon Romano would have never imagined this day would come. but today, he says he’s more resilient than ever.

“I'm feeling good, overwhelmed, but in a positive way where I’m able to be here and bring in a carload of donations to help out those in need the most,” he said Tuesday at the Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless shelter in Albany.

Tuesday marked one year since Romano was attacked with a sword while working at the homeless shelter.

“When I thought I was dying, when I was lying there believing that my injuries and all the blood and everything that I saw, my body falling apart, and I believed that I was about to die, I was at peace,” Romano said of the attack.

The brutal attack, which left him with more than 30 scars, took place two years after he was released from a more than 15-year prison sentence for a 2004 Columbia High School shooting that wounded a teacher.

“I was able to turn my life around because I had the support of my family and friends on the outside who were able and willing to visit me, write me, send me positive books, and send me love most of all,” said Romano.

Romano says that being the perpetrator of a shooting, combined with his time in jail, has helped him forgive his own attacker. He says he can relate to his attacker’s mental health state and believes in second chances.

Romano believes the issue of the country’s mental health epidemic and gun violence are related, like it was for him, and he is calling on state legislators to do something about it.

“Now, mental health is not to blame just for the atrocities that we see, but it definitely plays a part and it's something that we don't address,” he said. “And it's not only those who are acting out that we see on the news. The vast majority of people who struggle with mental health, they do so in silence.”

Romano says he is committed to creating change and making the most of his life.

“My focus is not only to continue on my own physical and mental healing, but I’m also trying to push forward to speak out and to help, whether it's our educators, our students, and helping people realize the change that we need to see within our system to help those who are growing up in a very difficult time and need support mentally and emotionally,” said Romano.