Survivor of Uvalde school shooting finally leaves a San Antonio hospital to applause and cheers

Trigger warning: This article contains themes of gun violence that some readers may find distressing.

Mayah Zamora, a student injured in the Uvalde shooting, is the last victim to be released from the hospital. Zamora, a 10-year-old, was one of many students shot at Robb Elementary on May 24. She was released from University Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, and, in a video, could be seen handing out roses to nurses and staff who chanted her name. A total of 19 students and two teachers were killed during the Uvalde shooting. The 18-year-old gunman was also killed by law enforcement agencies. Zamora was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and has managed to recover from the same. Country singer Kevin Fowler was instrumental in raising funds for Mayah, who is a huge fan of the singer. 

The community at Uvalde has been crucial in supporting one another to help heal from the tragedy. Last month, when a fourth-grade teacher who was injured in the mass shooting, was released from the hospital, people of the town lined up outside his home to greet him. Arnulfo Reyes underwent more than 10 surgeries after being shot by an 18-year-old gunman. He was met by a wave of visitors from the town, who brought him food and gifts. As we reported, volunteers have brought Reyes meals, mowed his lawn, and helped with daily activities including getting him to appointments. "This community has really ... come together and done so much together," he said.

Reyes said he is furious that the cops didn't intervene for more than an hour after the first rounds had been fired by the gunman. "There's really no excuse for 77 minutes," said Reyes. It's more hurtful that the Uvalde school district Police Chief Pete Arredondo is his second cousin on his maternal side. Arredondo hasn't spoken to Reyes since the shooting. Arredondo had claimed that he was searching for the keys to the room's door but Reyes says with the door knob not fixed, Arredondo never needed one to open the door. "I wish that he would have said, 'I'm going to go in there because that's my family.' But he didn't," said Reyes. Arredondo has since resigned from his post.

Robb Elementary School has been permanently shut down since the shooting. The school district announced that Robb Elementary School will be demolished and rebuilt so "students and staff will not have to return to the building at the site of the tragedy." The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District will also receive $1.25 million to provide trauma-informed counseling to staff and students. "We will never forget those who were senselessly taken from us on that tragic day, and we want to honor their legacy as we work to build our future," said Dr. Hal Harrell, the superintendent of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District. "Along with the entire Uvalde community, we are immensely grateful for the extreme generosity from our amazing donors, and we look forward to collaborating on this exciting new campus." Texas grocery chain H-E-B has pledged $10 million to the cause while Texas contracting firm Joeris and Texas architect firm Huckabee have offered their services for free.

"As we continue to mourn the tremendous loss, I join with my family and H-E-B in working to ensure the Uvalde community can move forward from this tragic event," said H-E-B Chairman Charles Butt said. "Our children are this country's future, and our schools should be a safe place where children can thrive and envision new possibilities." H-E-B has already pledged $500,000 to support victims of the shooting and the company's charitable trust has donated another $500,000 to organizations supporting Uvalde.

For those who want to help rebuild the school, the school district is taking donations here.