The healing power of art is hard at work on the streets of Uvalde, Texas. Last year, the South Texas community was the site of one of the nation’s deadliest mass shootings when a gunman

opened fire at Robb Elementary School, taking the lives of 19 students and 2 teachers, on May 24, 2022. Healing Uvalde is an outdoor mural project honoring the 21 victims with large and

vibrant paintings, the result of a collaboration between Monica Maldonado of MAS Cultura, Uvalde resident Abel Ortiz and Dr. George Meza.  “I know, from my own experience, that art has the

power to help these families heal from the monumental pain that they’re going to experience for the rest of their lives,” says Ortiz, an associate professor of art at Southwest Texas Junior

change.” Check out the Healing Uvalde murals, photographed by Al Rendon @rendonphotographyandfineart. NEVAEH BRAVO, 10 Nevaeh’s name spelled backwards is “heaven.” After her death, the

girl’s aunt wrote on Facebook, “She is flying with the angels above. We love you Nevaeh very much princess!” JACKIE CAZARES, 9 Jackie was killed with her cousin Annabell Rodriguez. After

Jackie’s death, her father, Jacinto Cazares, wrote on Facebook that Jackie was "full of life and love” and added, “We're devastated in ways I hope no one ever goes through. ... It

hurts us to our souls." RELATED: Grieving Uvalde Mom Says Guns Are 'More Important' Than Children in America, 1 Year After Shooting MAKENNA LEE ELROD, 10 Makenna loved

tumbling, a friend's mother told _The Dallas Morning News_. "She had the biggest heart and loved her family and friends so much," Makenna's aunt wrote in a verified

GoFundMe page set up for her family. JOSE FLORES JR., 10 Hours before he was killed, Jose was one of several star students who received a certificate for making the school honor roll. His

father, Jose Flores Sr., told CNN, "He was always full of energy, ready to play till the night." His favorite pastimes were baseball and video games. ELIAHNA 'ELLIE'

GARCIA, 9 Ellie was a basketball player in Uvalde’s youth league who was very involved with her Christian faith. After her death, her mother Jennifer wrote on Facebook, "My heart is

shattered to pieces. I love you baby girl I will never stop thinking of you !!!" RELATED: Family of Uvalde Victim Eliahna Garcia Holds Funeral Days After She Would've Turned 10

IRMA GARCIA, 48 A teacher at Robb Elementary School, Garcia was remembered on a GoFundMe page set up in her honor as a loving wife and mother to four children. "Sweet, kind, loving. Fun

with the greatest personality," the page read. Garcia loved to barbecue with her husband of 24 years, Joe, and to listen to music. She had been a teacher at the school for 23 years.

RELATED: Town of Uvalde Pays Respects to Teacher Irma Garcia and Her Husband Joe, Who Died 2 Days Apart UZIYAH GARCIA, 9 "Uziyah was the sweetest little boy that I've ever

known," Uziyah’s grandfather, Manny Renfro, told the AP, quickly clarifying: "I'm not just saying that because he's my grandkid." Uziyah was learning how to play

football. "Such a fast little boy and he could catch a ball so good,” Renfro said. Uziyah left behind two sisters. AMERIE JO GARZA, 10 Amerie loved nothing more than her family,

especially her little brother, 3-year-old Zayne, her grandmother, Berlinda Arreola, 49, told PEOPLE. The day of the shooting, Amerie marked a major milestone for a 4th grader: She made the

honor roll. She was shot to death while trying to call 911. "She was so protective," her grandmother said. "She always wanted to help.” RELATED: 'She Was Trying to Call

911 and He Shot Her': Texas Shooting Victim Amerie Jo Garza, 10, Remembered as Hero XAVIER LOPEZ, 10 Xavier Lopez was excited for summer to roll around so he could spend his days off

swimming, his cousin, Lisa Garza, told the AP. "He was just a loving 10-year-old little boy, just enjoying life. He was very bubbly, loved to dance with his brothers, his mom." 

JAYCE LUEVANOS, 10 On the morning of the shooting, Jayce asked his grandmother if he could go with her on another class’ trip to the San Antonio Zoo, his grandfather Carmelo Quiroz, told USA

Today. His family told him that he couldn’t miss a day of classes so close to the end of the school year “He was so sad he couldn’t go,” Quiroz said. “Maybe if he would have gone, he’d be

here.” RELATED: Texas School Shooting: What We Know About the Victims TESS MATA, 10 "My precious angel you are loved so deeply," Tess’ sister, Faith, wrote on Twitter. "In my

eyes you are not a victim but a survivor. I love you always and past forever baby sister, may your wings soar higher then you could ever dream. Till we meet again Tess Marie, love your big

sissy." MARANDA MATHIS, 11 Maranda’s mother, Deanna Gornto, told KSAT that Maranda had a “kind heart.” “I want people to remember her by her love of animals. I want them to remember her

smile and beautiful eyes,” said Gornto. _WANT TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST CRIME COVERAGE? SIGN UP FOR _PEOPLE_'S FREE TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER FOR BREAKING CRIME NEWS, ONGOING TRIAL

COVERAGE AND DETAILS OF INTRIGUING UNSOLVED CASES._ EVA MIRELES, 44 Mireles was one of two teachers killed at Robb Elementary School. According to her school district teacher bio, she was a

fourth grade teacher who loved running and hiking. For five years, she had been co-teaching the grade with fellow instructor Irma Garcia, who was also killed. Mireles' daughter Adalynn

paid tribute to her mother on Twitter, writing, "My sweet mommy, I will miss you forever." RELATED: Teacher Killed in Texas School Shooting ID'd as Eva Mireles, 44, a Mom Who

Loved the Outdoors ALITHIA RAMIREZ, 10 Alithia’s aunt Rosemarie Ramirez told PEOPLE last year that her niece loved to draw. She showed a PEOPLE reporter a photo of a drawing of sunflowers

Alithia had made for her, saying, “It's the last thing she gave me." RELATED: Uvalde Victim's Google Doodle Shared, Along with Note: 'I Want People to be Happy'

ANNABELL RODRIGUEZ, 10 Annabell Rodriguez died alongside her cousin, Jackie Cazares, who was also 10. Annabell’s sister, Lidia Anthony Luna, wrote on Facebook that Annabell was looking

forward to the upcoming summer vacation. "Now," Luna wrote, the two cousins are "dancing up in the sky, watching over us." RELATED: 10-Year-Old Uvalde Victims Who Texted

'I Love You' to Each Other at Bedtime Will Be Buried Side by Side MAITE RODRIGUEZ, 10 After Maite’s death, her mother Ana Rodriguez wrote on Facebook: “As I lay here on this empty

bed and with tears running down my face at 3am I would like to say to my baby girl ‘it’s not goodbye it’s I’ll see you later my sweet girl.’” ALEXANDRIA 'LEXI' RUBIO, 10 In a

Facebook post, Alexandria Rubio's mother, Kimberly Mata-Rubio, wrote, "My beautiful, smart, Alexandria Aniyah Rubio was recognized today for All-A honor roll. She also received the

good citizen award. We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school. We had no idea this was goodbye." RELATED: How a Uvalde Mother Turned Her Grief into Action: 'I

Want Children to Have a Chance to Grow Up' LAYLA SALAZAR, 11 The happy girl, who loved jamming to "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns 'N' Roses with her dad on the

way to school, was fondly known as the "princess" of her family, according to her parents' Facebook profiles. RELATED: Nearly a Year After Mass Shooting, Uvalde Family Says

'We're Lost' Without Daughter Killed at School JAILAH SILGUERO, 10 Jailah loved to dance and film TikTok videos, her mom Veronica Luevanos told the _Los Angeles Times_. On the

day of the shooting,  Jailah, who normally enjoyed school, "didn't want to go." On Facebook, her grieving mother wrote, "I'm so heartbroken baby. We miss you so

much mama R.I.P my beautiful angel fly high baby can't wait to see u again." ELIAHNA TORRES, 10 Eliahna was looking forward to her final softball game of the season on the day she

was killed. "I talked to her last night," her aunt told KENS-TV, "and she was kind of nervous, saying that it was her last game, and she didn't want softball to

end." RELATED: 'We're in a Nightmare': Stories of Anguish and Love from Uvalde ROJELIO TORRES, 10 Rojelio’s aunt, Precious Perez, told KSAT-TV after the boy’s death:

"We are devastated and heartbroken. Rojer was a very intelligent, hard-working and helpful person. He will be missed and never forgotten.”