Sutherland Springs residents and family members gathered in a football stadium Wednesday night to hear words of support from Vice President Mike Pence and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
鈥淓ven though anguish and sorrow hang over the community,鈥� Abbott said, 鈥渨e will not be overcome by evil. Together we will overcome evil with good.鈥�
Pence recounted the lives of those killed Sunday at First Baptist Church.
鈥淎mong them Haley Krueger, who even though just 16 years of age, already knew she wanted to be a neonatal nurse and care for the most vulnerable in society,鈥� he said. 鈥淪hani and Robert Corrigan 鈥� a 30-year veteran of the United States Air Force 鈥� two high school sweethearts whose son had just passed away a year ago.鈥�
The stands were full; at least 2,000 people came to pay their respects. Many came from Wilson County, others from San Antonio. Some lifted their hands in prayer and hugged one another.
鈥淲e鈥檙e a small community first, but the most important thing is we鈥檙e family,鈥� said Karla Sikkema鈥檚 from Floresville, whose son died a year ago. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 even go to our local grocery store right now because an employee there is no longer. 鈥� So it鈥檚 affected our community throughout.鈥�
Sikkema is a trauma nurse in the intensive care unit at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. She has taken care of eight of those injured in Sutherland Springs.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e strong; they鈥檙e survivors; they鈥檙e prayerful,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 incredible, but at the same time, to see the victims still feeling like they鈥檙e right there and that it鈥檚 happening all over again 鈥� it鈥檚 scary.鈥�
She said her two 7-year-old daughters lost a friend from their second-grade class. It鈥檚 a difficult conversation she never thought she鈥檇 have, but she tells her girls their friend is with God.
鈥淏ecause we鈥檙e Christians, we know that there鈥檚 a heaven," she said, "and we know that at some point in time we鈥檙e all going to go to see Jesus."
There鈥檚 been a prayer vigil every night since Sunday, when more than 10 percent of tiny Sutherland Springs鈥檚 population was either killed or injured. Shirley Filoteo, one of the roughly 400 residents, said she鈥檚 been to three vigils so far.
鈥淥ur community still needs to be healed,鈥� she said.
Filoteo lives a half mile from the church and says the shooting has left a massive hole in the town鈥檚 heart.
鈥淪omething like that 鈥� so evil 鈥� happened to so many good people that were worshiping God," she said. "You can鈥檛 get more evil than that."
Family members of the victims didn鈥檛 speak at the vigil, though about two dozen congregated at one end of the football field while the vice president spoke.
The pastor of First Baptist, Frank Pomeroy, wasn鈥檛 at the church Sunday, but his 14-year-old daughter, Anabelle, was and died in the shooting. He says Wednesday鈥檚 vigil was proof that, despite the immeasurable loss they鈥檝e all suffered, the community鈥檚 faith is strong.
鈥淚t showed the fact that we live in a country that, though there are many who try to say that we're secular, we live in a country that still comes together and prays to an almighty God,鈥� he said.
While they mourn, First Baptist church members are wonder what will happen to their church.
鈥淲e鈥檙e playing it day by day right now,鈥� Pomeroy said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 too many that do not want to go back into there,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think we鈥檒l probably turn it into a memorial for a while.鈥�
On Thursday, The Associated Press reported that he planned to demolish the building.
Pomeroy said he still plans to hold services Sunday to help Sutherland Springs residents draw strength from one another and God. But, for now at least, it will take place at the community center.
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