The Uvalde tragedy has pained millions of people all across the country because of how heartless and senseless the tragedy was. The survivors who lived to tell their tale recount horrible experiences which are heartbreaking to even hear.
Kendall Olivarez is a 9-year-old and to her family, she is a miracle. According to reports, Kendall was the first person to be shot. She was shot twice, once in her shoulder and once in her back.
But miraculously, her gunshot wounds were not fatal. After Kendall had been shot and fell to the floor, her teacher Irma Garcia was shot too and fell on top of the young girl. This is what the family believes ultimately saved her life.
While Kendall and her parents are understandably unable to talk about the tragedy themselves, her grandparents want to tell their beloved granddaughter’s story.
“There’s a saying that you love your kids, but you love your grandkids more, and it’s true,” her grandfather Jimmy Olivarez said.
Kendall was one of the students from Uvalde who had been only wounded with a gunshot and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
“Very brave little girl. She’s tough,” says Tina Olivarez, the grandmother.
The family firmly believes Kendall is a miracle for them and her being able to survive the deadliest school shooting in Texas history is a testament to this fact.
“Just glad that we still have her with us. I don’t know what I would do without her,” said her grandfather with tears in his eyes.
Her grandparents worry about the long-term mental toll this shooting will take on their beloved grandchild. “That’s gonna stay with her forever, how she saw her teacher get shot. It just happened right in front of her,” her grandmother said.
The family is grateful for everyone who is praying for them. The grandparents related that they are also worried about Kendall’s parents who are going through a lot because of the shooting as well.
According to Kendall’s narration of the incidents to her family, the killer, once he entered her classroom announced to her class, “Y’all are done.”
Kendall was the first student he shot. After which her teacher was shot, and fell on Kendall concealing the fact that she was still alive. Kendall has told her family that she heard gunshots that were aimed at all of her friends and also heard them fall to the floor one by one.
One of Kendall’s cousins is also her classmate. Her cousin was the one to pull their teacher’s body off of Kendall because he was afraid her cousin would not be able to breathe under their teacher.
Both cousins survived the deadly shooting. Their grandparents are incredibly grateful, with their grandfather saying, “Thank you, God, for giving her another chance.”
Kendall has had to undergo five surgeries in the 10 days since she has been shot. The young girl is working towards her recovery. So far, she has been discharged from the hospital and now has to make weekly visits so healthcare professionals can keep a check on her health and recovery.
The family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help them with the costs associated with Kendall’s long road to recovery.
We hope and pray that Kendall and all the children who have survived the tragedy make a swift recovery.
Please join us in wishing them well!
