NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – Waves of grief appear to have rippled out from First Baptist Church in New Braunfels to the rest of that city.
People throughout that community have been feeling the emotional toll of Wednesday’s deadly crash in Uvalde County.
Thirteen people headed home from a church retreat died after the bus they were riding in was hit head-on by a Dually-style pickup.
The news hit especially hard for Darrell Wood, who has close friends who attend First Baptist.
"They're just heartbroken like the rest of us,” he said. “They’re heartbroken and kind of wondering how to pick up the pieces and to move forward."
It’s a struggle being felt now even by complete strangers, according to Sydni Glazener, who works in a retail shop just outside the downtown area. She said she has heard many of her customers talking about the pain they feel in the wake of the crash.
“This town is very concerned about the people here. This has been causing a lot of sadness.” Glazener said. "They don't know the people personally, but this town -- especially the core of this city-- has so much love."
Glazener stopped by a downtown coffee shop Friday morning, which acts as a hub for locals to meet. Lately, it also serves as an unofficial spot for them to share the latest information and find support.
"These kinds of tragedies really bring out the best of what New Braunfels is about," Wood said.
Both he and Glazener believe that as difficult as the situation might be, the families of the crash victims and the city itself will recover from this tragedy.
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