Hundreds of people gathered for a vigil on Friday night to pray for the Santa Fe High School victims, their families and community.
It’s a community where members are still wrapping their heads around the immense loss.
“We’ve lost people. We’ve lost children. We lost teachers,” said Michelle Hrncir, a mother to a Santa Fe High School student.
Religious leaders, community members and politicians, including Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. Ted Cruz, spoke to the crowd offering support.
Several Santa Fe students were in the crowd, including Evan San Miguel, 15, a shooting survivor from Friday morning.
San Miguel was in the art class and tried to hide in a back closet with a few other students when he says the suspect, Dimitrios Pagourtzis, opened the door and started shooting.
“I was terrified, because I didn’t know if I was going to make it,” San Miguel said.
A bullet grazed his back, and two of his friends were killed in front of him.
“I just keep thinking if I go back there, am I going to remember everything that happened? It scares me," he said.
It’s a close call his father, Gabriel, is also grappling with.
“I hugged him, and we had a minute,” Gabriel said in describing their reunion. “It’s just a miracle, really, that my son is here, and I wish that everybody else that’s not here would’ve had a miracle.”
A table was set up that held 10 white candles to represent the 10 lives lost.
“I didn’t think that this would actually happen,” said Santa Fe senior Haile Thompson, “But then… it’s happening everywhere.”
Santa Fe is a community broken that was broken on Friday, now turning to each other and God.
“All we can do is pray over our children every day,” Hrncir said. “And just tell them that we love them every single day and pray that they come home.”
There were also several food trucks offering free meals only asking for donations for the families in return. They raised $4,121.
Anyone who’d like to donate to the families can reach out to Texas First Bank where a Santa Fe Texas Education Fund has been established.
Photos: Vigil held for victims of mass shooting at Santa Fe High School
SATURDAY VIGILS PLANNED:
SPRING:
Where: Woodwinds Shopping Center, 481 Sawdust Rd Spring, TX 77380
When: Saturday, 5 p.m.
Photos: At least 8 killed in shooting at Santa Fe High School
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