UVALDE, Texas — Along with families mourning the loss of loved ones following the shooting in Uvalde, people are pulling for the recovery of survivors.
For every child and teacher present that day and all people touched by the trauma of the shooting, recovery means a long road ahead. That includes costly expenses for survivors were shot. Thousands of Texans are uniting to help with costs and have given blood in honor of Uvalde.
Danielle Braman at Chismosa's Cantina y Cocina in San Antonio saw firsthand how hungry people are to help when she held a plate sale for a nine-year-old shot in Uvalde with a hospital stay ahead of her.
"So many people sending money, buying plates, I had a mother of 12 show up with all of her children to buy plates, I've had a lady send me two dollars and tell me that's all she had but it came from her heart, and I broke down crying because I was overwhelmed," Braman said.
Braman says from her own family's experiences, she knows there are more costs than just medical bills, including food, lost wages, parking and the long-term therapy she and her parents will need. She collected more than $1400 to go toward the family, with more information on the restaurant's Facebook page about how people can continue to donate to the family.
Meanwhile, shelves at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center are mostly full for the first time in a long time.
"Over the past three days we've seen over 2000 donations come into the center in honor of the Uvalde patients which is great cause you gotta remember our supply has been running low since the pandemic started," Roger Ruiz said.
Lines wrapped around blood drives, helping with the early stages for trauma victims and now, ready to help others who need it. The center says this was also the first mass casualty event that used low titer O blood now stored on emergency vehicles in a new program launched after the Sutherland Springs shooting. Survivors and mourning loved ones will still need all kinds of support in the days, weeks and years to come. Many are ready to offer it.
"It's Texans taking care of Texans," Ruiz said. "Everything's bigger in Texas, especially our hearts- and to see that, of the community coming and to be able to supply that and help people is very rewarding. They do this knowing they're helping their fellow neighbor."