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Partly cloudy. Low 76F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph..
Partly cloudy. Low 76F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
A painting by Killeen artist Vickie Valladares memorializing the 21 victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde.
A painting by Killeen artist Vickie Valladares memorializing the 21 victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde.
What began as a painting has turned into a citywide effort to memorialize the 21 victims of the Uvalde shooting.
Killeen artist Vickie Valladares spent five days painting a piece depicting the 19 children and two teachers killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde on May 24.
“I want this to be a teaching tool for parents to be able to teach their kids about it,” Valladares said in a video posted to the City of Killeen’s Facebook Saturday.
The large mural features the backs of the 21 victims as they appear to ascend a white staircase to a heavenly set of golden open doors.
“Because this happened to children it seemed only fit to paint this through the eyes of a child,” Valladares said.
The City of Killeen will provide a driver and vehicle to transport the painting and other memorial items to the City of Uvalde on Wednesday.
“This hit close to home and anytime there’s a tragedy like this, the community wants to inject some love into the situation,” Killeen spokeswoman Janell Ford said in a news release Monday. “The City of Killeen will step up and help however we can.”
With the help of Nancy Rodriguez, Valladares’ mother-in-law, the two women are organizing the caravan from Killeen to Uvalde that will leave Wednesday at 8 a.m. from the New Life Apostolic Church, 4712 East Rancier Avenue in Killeen.
Those interested in donating other memorial items for the Uvalde victims can do so at 7 a.m. Wednesday at the church.
The Killeen Police Department will provide an escort for the caravan as it departs for Uvalde Wednesday.
ldodd@kdhnews.com | 254-501-7567
A Uvalde-bound caravan carrying donated memorial items departed from Killeen with a police escort Wednesday morning.
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