Robb Elementary teacher Elsa Avila shares her story after surviving the tragic Uvalde school shooting that killed 21 children and staff on May 24.
Elsa Avila slid to her phone, terrified as she held the bleeding side of her abdomen and tried to stay calm for her students. In a text to her family that she meant to send to fellow Uvalde teachers, she wrote: "I'm shot."
Minutes before she felt the sharp pain of the bullet piercing her intestine and colon, Avila was motioning students away from the walls and windows and closer to her. A student lined up by the door for recess had just told her something was going on outside: People were running - and screaming. As she slammed the classroom door so the lock would catch, her students took their well-practiced lockdown positions.
The district is working to complete new security measures, and the school board in August fired the district's police chief, Pete Arredondo. Residents say it remains unclear how - or even if - trust between the community and officials can be rebuilt, even as some call for more accountability, better police training and stricter gun safety laws.
"The little girls closest to me kept patting me and telling me, 'It's going to be OK, Miss. We love you, Miss,'" Avila said. She remembers being taken to the airport, where a helicopter flew her to a San Antonio hospital. She was in and out of care until June 18.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
North Texas schools ask students to wear maroon Tuesday as Uvalde students return to classUvalde CISD classes will begin Tuesday as students return to the classroom for the first time since the shooting at Robb Elementary School.
Read more »
Texas students encouraged to wear Uvalde colors TuesdayTexas students, school staff members, parents and community members are encouraged to wear white and maroon Tuesday in solidarity with Uvalde as students there return to the classroom for the first time since the mass shooting.
Read more »
Uvalde students return to classroom for first time since shooting on TuesdayUvalde CISD students will return to classrooms with several new safety and security measures in place.
Read more »
LIST: Houston-area schools supporting Uvalde by having students wear maroon, white on TuesdayNumerous Houston-area school districts are showing their support for students in Uvalde by wearing their school colors on Tuesday.
Read more »
Share your messages of healing and comfort with the Uvalde community as new school year beginsShare your messages of healing and comfort with the Uvalde community as new school year begins Uvalde UvaldeStrong
Read more »
16 Uvalde fourth graders waited an hour with wounded teacherA scar down her torso brings her to tears as a permanent reminder of the horror she endured with her 16 students as they waited in their classroom for an hour for help while a gunman slaughtered 19 children and two teachers in two classrooms nearby.
Read more »