The pain for many in Uvalde hasn’t faded. Saturday marks three years since the massacre at Robb Elementary School, where 19 children and two teachers were killed.
The pain for many in Uvalde hasn’t faded. Saturday marks three years since the massacre at Robb Elementary School, where 19 children and two teachers were killed.
One group is determined to help the survivors for years to come.
Kristina Hernandez, CEO of the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas, reflected on the impact of the tragedy.
“When I think of May 24th, it’s really hard not to think about all of those babies. And the teachers that work so hard to protect them,” she said.
The shooting in Uvalde changed the community forever in just 77 minutes.
“The shooting in Uvalde was very close to home, and it made us go home and hug our kids a little bit tighter,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez was among those who traveled to Uvalde in the week following the massacre. She recognized the need for her team at the Children’s Bereavement Center of Texas to be present.
“After the shooting, we had clinicians there in the community holding space with families. But pretty quickly, we stood up a counseling center, a center for comfort and consults,” she explained.
Three years later, the team hasn’t left.
They have established a more permanent facility in Uvalde, where they have helped more than 1,000 kids.
“I can’t imagine where kids would be if we weren’t there,” Hernandez said. “When children don’t learn how to process their grief, there are things that can happen down the road that we don’t anticipate.”
Working through grief can be a lifelong process.
“This work is emotional. This work is so powerful,” Hernandez added. “It’s such a gift to be able to do this work every single day, to see the children running through the building, laughing, playing, making memories.”
While making new memories is a privilege, Hernandez emphasizes the importance of remembering what was lost.
“I don’t want us to forget that,” Hernandez said. “Time goes on, and things happen, and … But that community will never forget this, and we shouldn’t either.”
Read also:
- Inside Uvalde’s Legacy Elementary: A look at safety features and tributes honoring Robb victims
- Uvalde’s new mayor discusses honoring Robb Elementary shooting victims and addressing city’s ‘needs’
