“I can’t explain the joy I felt when I saw my son coming out of those doors and I finally had him. But as a parent, I wanted to push him right there, but I wanted to get him out because I did, I don’t want him to see all this, “Alonzo said in an interview in front of his home in Uwalde.
His son was safe, but soon learned that his niece Eli Garcia was still unknown.
He called his daughter-in-law Jennifer, Eli’s mother, and told her he would check out the nearby SSGT Willie de Leon city center, where staff take students to reunite with their families.
When he got there, it was about 4 pm and almost empty.
“School staff tell me there are no more children here. Everyone is tidy.
“Do you have a list?” Do you have a list of students who have been here? ”Alonzo remembered feverishly asking.
“This school clerk, I could see it in her eyes, and her eyes became glassy and watery, and she said, ‘Sir, they’re going to make a statement soon.’
“But I miss my niece. She’s not here, “he recalls, praying.
“They will make a statement soon,” he recalled, and she replied simply. Then he realized that something was wrong.
Alonzo took her son home and later saw on social media that Eva Mireles, Eli’s teacher, was dead.
“I tried to stay optimistic in my mind, but the reality was sinking in at the time,” he said. “It wasn’t until my wife told me they were taking DNA swabs from all the parents … Why else would they need DNA swabs?”
An hour later, his wife called to tell him that Ellie was among the children killed in the slaughter of Rob Elementary.
“Now is the worst day of my life. And I will never forget that day. I can play those hours so vividly in my mind and it just sticks in my mind,” Alonzo said.
Forgiveness – even for the shooter
Eli Garcia and her uncle Adrian were very close. He, his wife, and their son, Aiden, Ellie’s cousin, took Ellie to church most Sundays. Alonzo describes her as a happy child who loves family and friends, her dog Rocco, TikTok dancing and basketball.
She was excited about her 10th birthday, which is approaching June 4th. Now you will never reach these magical two-digit numbers. Her family will bury her two days later on June 6.
Ellie’s uncle became understandably emotional, explaining this cold reality.
“These days will be here and I’m just praying to God to give our family comfort and strength to spend this weekend,” he said.
Alonzo said he contacted his niece because of their faith, which apparently transports him through this unimaginable tragedy.
He even voluntarily forgave the shooter who killed his niece, 18 other children and 2 adults in cold blood.
“I forgive him. As powerful as he is, I forgive him,” Alonzo said.
When asked how he could get to the place where he forgave the archer only days after the massacre and even before Ellie was buried, he quoted Scripture.
“The Bible says in Ephesians 4 that we must forgive each other, just as God forgave. And I don’t hate him, “Alonso said.
Of course, he is very angry.
“I’m full of anger, but I don’t hate him,” he said calmly.
He is also angry with all law enforcement officials, who may have made mistakes in waiting so long before entering his niece’s classroom.
“She could have been saved. She may have been injured. We don’t know if she was alive within what she was, 70 minutes, I think. We don’t know if she was alive. I can only hope that she does not feel pain and I hope that it was quick and she did not suffer. Who knows? Maybe she wouldn’t have survived. But I feel that within these minutes, we will not have 19 children, “he said, adding that he also forgave anyone in law enforcement who made mistakes.
Prevent more mass shootings
Alonzo is a hunter and gun owner. He says that will not change.
But he does not believe that weapons of attack such as the one the shooter legally bought in Texas should be allowed.
“Do I believe that our weapons should be taken away from civilians?” No, I am against that, but I am in favor of banning AR-15 assault rifles. No civilian should have this type of rifle, only military and police. are weapons of war, and civilians do not need military weapons, “Alonzo said. “In general, I think that a lot can be done, not only the laws on weapons, but also in the algorithms of social media, something. Let’s assume that the algorithm has caught these words and a notification will be sent to the authorities: “Hey, this user is saying he will shoot the school. They would get into it very quickly and probably, maybe, then stop it. “
He hopes politicians can put their differences aside and find solutions, but like most Americans, he is skeptical.
For now, he is focused on his family – helping his son, Eli’s cousin, to cope. He helps Ellie’s parents – his daughter-in-law and son-in-law – with orders and whatever they need. And he talks about his beautiful niece.
“We were grateful that Ellie had nine years of her life with us. We will never forget her,” Alonzo said. “She will always be part of this family, even in her death.
CNN’s Monica Serrano, Alexa Miranda and Hope Howard contributed to this report.
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