UVALDE, Texas — Folks from all around the country have come to Uvalde over the last week.
That includes volunteers, mourners, pastors, and more, but on Tuesday, we found a “listener” who goes by the name of Cowboy Dave.
And after hearing of the loss in Uvalde, he decided to encourage those hurting the most.
From daylight to dawn, you’ll find sun, heat, and now, Cowboy Dave at the corner of Grove and Main Street where he's cheering on city workers with applauds and showing his respect for the families by taking off his hat.
He's a man of many words, left speechless when he recalls the day 19 children and two teachers were killed.
"A week before that I had been in Buffalo and I thought not kids. Two weeks before and I thought not adults in grocery stores. The emotion was I can't do nothing and it's not my community and they're gonna resent somebody showing up trying to be a clown," said David Graham, who is known as Cowboy Dave.
But he fought through the thoughts of not being accepted in Uvalde and traveled hundreds of miles from Bellville, Ohio to, well, listen.
"I just listen. I'm not a licensed counselor. I'm not a Franklin Graham connection guy. I'm not a priest. I'm not a counselor. I'm just a guy that has two ears that work. Two ears that work. People are so happy just for somebody to listen," said Graham as he began to tear up.
Also here to listen is John Hardie from Corpus Christi.
He's a former minister who lived in Uvalde for four years.
"I was just about to go to a zoom staff meeting online and my wife Melanie called and she sad what had happened. And she was crying. And so I was delayed getting in on the meeting. And when it was my time to speak I told them what happened," said Hardie.
It was then, that he knew he needed to be here.
"The seeds were planted that we could have a tangible offering. And so when I told the church I was gonna come here on Sunday morning, they were so glad," said Hardie.
He's meeting with people to cry and to pray.
And with that same offering, Cowboy Dave plans to carry out his message of hope.
"Don't worry folks. Looking beyond ya, don't worry. If you wish you could do something. These people are strong. And those that can do something are. America would be so proud. And their hearts are not crushed. They're just bruised. They gonna come become stronger," said Graham.
(Roxanne Elias - @RoxanneElias3)
"Ever since yesterday Cowboy Dave stands here to cheer on city workers with applauds and show his respect for the families by taking off his hat.
And he plans to be here for a while...in case you need to stop by and vent."
Cowboy Dave says he spent the first part of his life pursuing the wrong things in life and now intends to do the right thing.
So, he plans to post up at the corner every day until about mid-June.