Uvalde funeral home owner reflects on community's spirit 1 year after mass shooting
UVALDE (CBSNewsTexas.com) — The violence that unfolded in Uvalde last year happened before the eyes of employees at Hillcrest Funeral Home, which sits only feet away from Robb Elementary School.
They were among the first to call 911, and the first to realize that life in their close-knit community would never be the same.
Nelly Briones, who owns the funeral home along with her husband, said the shooting has left deep scars in their town.
"We all suffered and in a different way," she said. "Everybody suffered in their own way. But we're trying to get through. Just day by day."
At the time of the shooting, Briones and her husband were getting ready to open a new flower shop near town square, but they quickly pushed those plans aside after tragedy struck.
"Personally, it's been very, very hard...something that we will never forget," she said. "And just the business itself...the funeral home business is a very, you know, it's not for everybody. We're here to help in the time of need, and that's what we do."
Now, a year later, their freshly-opened shop The Petal Florist is thriving and much of the community's emotional wounds are beginning to heal. But around town, reminders of what all was lost remain everpresent.
"Keep us in your prayers," Briones said. "That's all I think. That's all the City of Uvalde needs at the moment. It's still very new. It still hurts. I just hope that everybody can just take some time and still pray for Uvalde. Uvalde Strong."