EL PASO, Texas _ They arrived by the dozens and hundreds. Eventually, thousands_a sea of people dressed in black T-shirts, many of them bearing the words, "El Paso Strong" and "For El Paso"_poured into a ballpark here.
Eleven days after a terrorist attack shattered this city, its grieving residents joined together Wednesday evening for a community memorial service that drew people from all over _ Mexico, the Texas capital, Austin, and far beyond. They used this evening to pay tribute to the 22 victims massacred by an alleged white supremacist from North Texas.
Many of those attending said they were looking for healing and solidarity.
The ballpark, Southwest University Park, was heavily secured with police carrying high powered weapons. Helicopters flew overhead.
"It is with much hurt and a heavy heart that I stand here today," said El Paso Mayor Dee Margo. "On Aug 3 hate attacked our community ... "
Temperatures flirted with the 100 degree mark before Margo, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Juarez Mayor Armando Cabada and Mexico's Undersecretary for North American Relations Jesus Seade, joined the throngs of people. They expressed their condolences for the victims, including eight nationals from Mexico.
"Texas grieves with you for the 22 people who were sensely killed in this cowardly attack," said Abbott, denouncing "racism." "We grapple with why good people would be taken away so soon ... We know this evil will not overcome us ... We will not allow our hearts to be harden."
"Tragedies like the one that happened here cannot and will not be tolerated in Texas," he added.
The memorial was simulcast live at three satellite locations: The Convention Center. Cleveland Square Park Downtown and Ponder Park at 7500 WH Burges Drive. It was also aired live on the City's Facebook page.
"This is a time of mourning," said Jesus Seade, Mexico's Undersecretary of North America, telling the crowd that Latinos "deserve a world of opportunity and respect, not one of fear and violence" he said, and he got a long standing ovation.
Seade reminded the crowds of the importance of voting and being counted. He denounced "the horrors committed because of the anti-Mexcian rhetoric ... How did we get here?" he asked, noting the rise of White Nationalism, and saying Mexico does not "welcome statements" from the U.S. government against Latinos.
"Things have changed of late," he said.
The members of the Mexican delegation received standing ovations. Only the first responders_including police and Border Patrol officials who helped saved lives_got a bigger reception during the event.
"The real assassin was hate and ignorance," said Juarez Mayor Armando Cabada.
Before things were fully underway, volunteers passed out water, tissue paper and the Bibles. Somber music played in the background as photos of the victims were displayed on the giant screen.
"We're here trying to give people hope and comfort through prayer," said Michael Larose, 65, with The Gideons International. The group's evangelical volunteers have passed out more than 7,000 bibles in the area since the Aug. 3 shootings.
Debbie Torres came with friends and family and stood with hundreds, if not thousands who waited to get inside Southwest University Park, where the Chihuahuas Triple A baseball team plays: "This is my community. When a few hurt, we all hurt," she said. "We need to be there to support the folks who have been injured and the families of those who lost their loved ones."
El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego said, "We're here to send a message of resilience. This is family and we want to give the victims a sense that we are there. That they're not alone."
County Commissioner Carlos Leon, a former El Paso police officer, said, "I just want to express my love for this community. I love El Paso."
Looking at all those around her, Anabelle Ballard, 18, attending her mother Adriana, said, "It shows El Paso has a lot of love for each other and how we are so strong,"
Other activities are planned in the weeks to come, including a benefit concert by an El Paso favorite son, Khalid and friends, A Night For Suncity, Sept. 1 at the Don Haskins Center.
So far, fundraising efforts by The Paso del Norte Community Foundation and El Paso Community Foundation have collected an estimated $4.7 million to help families effected by the shooting.
"You can't live in fear and you can't live in hate," Benjamin Alire Saenz, the acclaimed poet and novelist whose work has long been inspired by the El Paso/Juarez region, including "Everything Begins and Ends at The Kentucky Club," said before the memorial began.
"You move on to create a better, bigger world by doing small beautiful things," he said. "Mexicans don't lean on cactuses. We lean on each other and we really need each other right now."
The El Paso Community Foundation is waiving all administrative and credit card fees associated with donating to the families. The City of El Paso encourages anyone wishing to make contributions to the victims to visit websites here and located here.
Contributions to the El Paso Community Foundation include $350,000 from Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare employees and business partners. The employees include medical personnel at The Hospitals of Providence in El Paso. A spokeswoman said donations more than doubled initial commitments.
Donations also include $50,000 from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to the El Paso Community Foundation Victims' Relief Fund. The NFL Foundation donated another $50,000.
Meanwhile, the city remains on edge. Some parents pack as they take their children to school. Shoppers look over their shoulders, wary of strangers. Even some drive-through attendants are hesitant to show their faces.
And as a grieving city and region buries its victims, a funeral home is inviting the public to join Antonio Basco on Friday for the wake for his wife, Margie Reckard, 63. They were married for 22 years.
"Mr. Basco doesn't have a family here, and he's all alone," said Elizabeth Cordova, assistant director at Perches Funeral Home, where the wake will be from 5 to 9 p.m., at 4946 Hondo Pass in northeast El Paso. "We're asking the community to join him. That's who we are. We come together, united, in the worst of times."
Known for years as one of the safest cities of its size in the nation, city officials say this wounded city is slowly trying to regain normalcy after the deadliest attack in recent memory targeting Mexicans and Mexican Americans. They say they hope the memorial will help with the healing and restore some sense of security. El Paso normally averages about 18 homicides a year.
Triton traveled all the way from Dallas to offer comfort at the memorial. The silky golden retriever was among half a dozen dogs from throughout Texas who were at the memorial. El Pasoans of all ages stopped to pet the dogs and smile.
"It's been awesome," said Janice Marut with the Southwest Regional Lutheran Church. "People have been so welcoming and friendly during this difficult period. We're here simply to offer comfort in a painful time."
City Councilman Peter Svarzbein said his Jewish father, Leonardo, a native of Argentina who died in 2016, moved to El Paso in 1972 in search of an international, binational, bilingual, tolerant city of immigrants. His grandmother was a Holocaust survivor from Czechoslovakia. Svarzbein said the shooting has given his father's desire for a strong, diverse community deeper meaning. He hopes the memorial Wednesday captures that spirit.
"Since August 3, I have seen a city defined not by hate but by love," said Svarzbein, 39. "What El Paso and Juarez can do more than any other place in this world is show the world how to live together. ... That is our destiny, our birthright and opportunity present not just today, but every day moving forward, generation after generation. This city is the biggest, boldest and most humble representation of the American Dream. It's not an All-America City. It's the All-American Dream city."
