UVALDE – This Thanksgiving comes with sadness in Uvalde.
It has been six months since 21 people were killed inside Robb Elementary School.
Families and loved ones have fought for accountability and change and behind them is a core group.
“The world stopped that day. And it hasn’t been the same since,” Michele Prouty said.
Robb Elementary is only a stone’s throw away from Prouty’s home and before May 24th she says she was lulled daily by the sound of children.
“I would get home in the afternoon and you could hear the kids playing outside, getting loaded on the school bus, the buses driving up and down the streets,” Prouty said.
Those are sounds she says she’d give anything to have back but May 24th stole that serenity from her.
“It was chaos. And it was horror unfolding,” Prouty said describing the day of the shooting.
Since then, Prouty has joined a tight-knit advocacy group called K.A.R.M.A
“The K.A.R.M.A group is a group of regular people who are not going to take it anymore,” she said.
They’ve been a constant presence at school board and city council meetings, always backing the families in their calls for accountability.
Adam Martinez, whose son went to Robb Elementary, organized the group.
“Our main focus now has been the children of Robb and the families in the community and how we can raise the standards,” Martinez said.
K.A.R.M.A. is an acronym that stands for Keep All Righteous Minds Aware.
Martinez says they’re fighting to raise the standards for police in Uvalde, make schools and parks safer, and make the community better overall.
“Just to do the right thing,” Martinez said. “People trying to do the right thing. That’s it.”
Prouty is vowing that their work is far from over.
“The inactions of these officers,” Prouty said. “None of them should have badges. There is no excuse.”
Both Martinez and Prouty say May 24th has forever changed their town and way of life.
“People don’t want to even celebrate Thanksgiving. They don’t even want to think about Christmas. It’s hard when you want to share something from your family and you’re thinking about them,” Martinez said.
“You’ve got Thanksgiving and then you’ve got Christmas. Maite just had her birthday. Lots of birthdays too. So lots of firsts, lots of very painful firsts,” Prouty added.