JEFFERSON COUNTY, Texas — It’s been one year since the massacre at Robb Elementary School, where 19 children and two teachers lost their lives.
On May 24, 2022 a gunman entered the campus in Uvalde, Texas and opened fire as he entered a classroom. The gunman, later identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, killed 21 people total in two adjoining classrooms.
Related: 19 children, 2 adults killed in mass shooting at Uvalde, Texas elementary school, officials say
Wednesday has been spent remembering and reflecting as the Uvalde community continues to grieve.
It was the deadliest shooting ever at a Texas public school.
CEO of Bob Hope Charter Schools in Southeast Texas, Dr. Bobby Lopez, lived in Uvalde for 19 years.
Lopez attended Robb Elementary himself and was apart of the clubs at Uvalde High School.
Southeast Texas educator, Uvalde native reflects on childhood memories following Robb Elementary mass shooting
He says, the tragedy it just so raw.
"The loss of a child is very difficult to deal with , even that of a spouse. To know if this wouldn't have happened, where would they be now" Lopez said.
The death of these young students hits so close to home, as he has spent a lot of time tutoring students as an educator.
"I tutor third graders. At that age you just want to hold them and keep them safe," he said.
The 21 crosses placed at a memorial spot in Uvalde have served as a constant reminder of the lives lost.
When asked if he's returned to Uvalde, Lopez says he's been there once, but it's very hard to deal with.
"I just drove by Robb, I didn't stop by. Just to look at the senseless loss of life. 21 loved ones were lost," he said.
The shooting is a vivid memory Lopez's sister remembers, as she lives only blocks away from Robb Elementary School.
"That days she remembers the sirens, the police lights. She saw the news and it was just so difficult to place yourself in that position," he said.