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SAN ANTONIO — As Kimberly Mata-Rubio stood at her slain daughter’s gravesite in Uvalde to have a good time the kid’s eleventh birthday, an exquisite butterfly landed on her chest and walked as much as perch on her locket bearing the lady’s fingerprint.
It was a tremendous second that occurred on a day that Mata-Rubio initially had been dreading. It lifted her spirits and introduced her hope.
“It was good, and it undoubtedly simply form of modified the day round after that,” the grieving mom mentioned Sunday. “That’s what I wanted that day.”
Her daughter, Alexandria “Lexi” Rubio, was one in all 19 children killed by a gunman within the Might 24 bloodbath at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde. Two academics had been additionally killed.
The 18-year-old gunman stormed the varsity, armed with a semi-automatic rifle, and unleashed a torrent of devastating violence as a whole lot of regulation enforcement officers waited greater than 70 minutes to take motion. A small group of officers later killed him.
Lexi, a fourth grader, was in Classroom 111 with instructor Arnulfo Reyes when the gunman burst into the varsity. All 11 youngsters in that classroom had been killed. Reyes additionally was shot, however survived.
Felix Rubio helps household tie up extra balloons to brighten his daughter Lexi Rubio’s grave at Hillcrest Memorial Cemetery in Uvalde Thursday. Lexi would have turned 11 on Thursday. Her household spent the day adorning her grave with balloons and flowers as they shared meals and listened to music to have a good time her life.
Sam Owens, San Antonio Specific-Information / Employees photographerOn Thursday — the day Lexi would have turned 11 years outdated — her household gathered at her gravesite and spent the day celebrating her life.
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Mata-Rubio, 33, mentioned she awoke feeling numb that morning. The household, together with Lexi’s dad, Felix Rubio, and Lexi’s 5 siblings, starting from 9 to 18 years outdated, gathered pumpkins, paint, balloons and candles to take to the cemetery.
Mata-Rubio had solely been there for 10 minutes when the butterfly landed on her. The second was captured on video and reveals the grieving mom beaming with pleasure.
Moments earlier, the identical butterfly landed briefly on the arm of Lexi’s older sister, Kalisa Barboza, 18.
It was an particularly poignant incidence as a result of a painted mural of Lexi that’s displayed on a constructing in downtown Uvalde reveals her face surrounded by 5 butterflies — every representing one in all her siblings.
The youngsters painted pumpkins at Lexi’s gravesite on her birthday. For lunch, the household ate “Lexi Burgers” from McDonald’s, which the Uvalde fast-food restaurant had supplied as a particular menu merchandise that day. The household additionally streamed music that Lexi loved, equivalent to “Be Glad” by Dixie D’Amelio.
Kalisa Barboza, 18, shortly kisses a butterfly earlier than it flutters away whereas celebrating her sister Lexi Rubio’s eleventh birthday at her gravesite in Hillcrest Memorial Cemetery in Uvalde, Thursday. Lexi liked butterflies and there have been lots flying across the cemetery as her household spent the day there.
Sam Owens, San Antonio Specific-Information / Employees photographer4 generations of Lexi’s household confirmed up on the cemetery that day to have a good time her birthday, together with the households of a number of different youngsters killed. A smaller group — Lexi’s dad and mom and siblings — stayed longer to carry a extra intimate gathering later.
Two birthday muffins had been offered to Lexi that day. The household additionally sang “Glad Birthday” at her gravesite.
“I believe everyone was emotional” whereas singing the track, Mata-Rubio mentioned. “She ought to be right here for her birthday.”
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She described Lexi as a candy baby who received together with everybody, somebody who was very clever and aggressive. The kid had an exquisite smile and laughed loudly. She was additionally useful and really well mannered, her mom mentioned. Her favourite shade was yellow.
Requested how the household is dealing with their loss, Mata-Rubio mentioned, “I don’t suppose anyone actually is. We’re simply form of going by means of the motions. And I think about that’s what the remainder of our lives will likely be like.”
The household typically tells one another tales about Lexi and shares reminiscences of her. They speak about her typically. Generally they snort, generally they cry.
Mata-Rubio was a longtime reporter and assistant editor on the native newspaper, the Uvalde Chief-Information. She was within the newsroom on the day of the shootings.
Felix Rubio, from left, writes a customized observe to his daughter Lexi Rubio as his spouse Kimberly Mata-Rubio takes an image of their 9-year-old son Julian’s observe whereas their daughter Jahleela Rubio, 11, picks a balloon to launch at Lexi’s grave in Hillcrest Memorial Cemetery in Uvalde. Lexi would have turned 11 on Thursday.
Sam Owens, San Antonio Specific-Information / Employees photographerShe is now finishing her final semester of research at St. Mary’s College to acquire a bachelor’s diploma. She is going to graduate in December.
She and her husband are amongst a gaggle of fogeys who shaped a nonprofit group referred to as LivesRobbed, which speaks out on the affect of gun violence.
“It could actually occur to anyone,” Mata-Rubio mentioned. “So I simply need individuals to not be complacent, not overlook about this case. As a result of it would occur once more if we don’t do one thing.”
Employees photojournalist Sam Owens contributed to this story.
pohare@express-news.web| Twitter: Peggy_OHare
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