Latest news with #WallofHope
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘River of Angels' memorial rises in Kerrville as flood victims remembered
A growing wall of flowers and photographs honoring the victims of last weekend's deadly floods has been taking shape in Kerrville over the last 72 hours — a powerful expression of collective grief as locals struggle to come to terms with the immense scale of the tragedy. While search and rescue operations continue and helicopters buzz overhead, this roadside memorial has become a solemn gathering point for reflection, remembrance and shared sorrow. The photographs put a face to each victim and the flowers represent their lives. A sign reading "River of Angels" pinned to the rail has given the memorial its unofficial title, a name that gently captures the weight of loss that has transpired here. Kerr County was hit the hardest, with at least 100 deaths and more than 160 still missing. Faith Brings Light To Devastated Texas Town After Deadly Flooding Disaster The memorial was started by Leo Soto, who traveled from Miami to lay the first flowers. His Wall of Hope non-profit has been erecting memorials since the Surfside condo building collapse in Miami in 2021. "It's a place that has become really special... I let the community know that this was taking place and within hours there were dozens and dozens of people helping us to attach the flowers surrounding the pictures of the victims," Soto said of the Kerrville memorial. Read On The Fox News App "Since then, people have been bringing teddy bears, children have been bringing drawings, people have been bringing balloons, they're bringing their own flowers. It's become a really powerful place for the community to begin to heal and to just spread some love in the air — in a place that badly needs it." The River of Angels sign, he added, was placed later by someone he doesn't know — a reflection of how the memorial has taken on a life of its own after Soto laid its foundations. The scene was at times overwhelming. In one particularly raw moment, a woman studying the photographs let out a sudden shriek. She had apparently recognized a face on the display but had not realized the person was among the deceased. Visibly shaken, she stumbled away from the fence, crouched down near the curb and made a call on her cell phone, tears streaming down her face that were etched in pain. Carolyn Miller, a longtime Texas resident, was overcome with emotion too as she spoke of her immense sorrow. "The grief, it's devastating, and not just now," Miller said. "It will be devastating for years. Some people may never be found. There's just so much debris, silt in the water, it's unbearable." "What's happened is absolutely heartbreaking to everyone here. I mean, the outpouring of support is unbelievable. I went out to find a place to help clean up — but there were so many volunteers already so I brought cleaning supplies. I brought flowers. And I've cried way too many tears." She said the resilience of Texans and people across the country has been unshakable. "Texas Strong. Hill Country Proud," Miller said. Some were too upset to speak. Anne Lowery, a lifelong Kerrville resident who experienced previous flooding disasters in the area, said nothing compares to last week's deluge of rain. "This is way worse than the 1987 flood. The amount of water — and just the people it wiped out. It's tragic," Lowery said. "It's just overwhelming sadness. I have a home and everything's okay in it. And when I get up and go to the kitchen and wash the dishes or something, I just feel like I did nothing. And it's like… I want to do something. I want to help." Lowery, like many others, spoke fondly of Kervillle Tivy coach Reece Zunker, who died along with his wife. Their two sons are reportedly still missing. "I knew the coach — he taught both my grandsons in soccer. Everybody loved him. His whole family." Police Say 'Sightseers' Hindering Texas Recovery Efforts As Teams Search For Victims In Debris Madison Boner, a local high school student, said Zunker helped her overcome her lack of confidence. "He was a great teacher. I had him for construction but he also taught robotics and soccer," Boner said. "He was super encouraging and nice. I was always real shy, so sometimes he would have to make me speak my mind." "Like he would say, 'Hey, can you tell the other students what to do today?' because he wanted me to find my voice. He wanted the best future for all of his students." Boner said Zunker was supposed to teach her for another three years but instead wouldn't make it to the new school year, like other victims. "These people… these are our community. Some kids are gonna go back to school and just have to sit there like, 'She's not here.' It's heartbreaking. This took people. You can't reverse it." For many, turning to faith brings some comfort. Bishop Julian Dobbs of the St. Michael and All Angels Church in Kerrville was at the memorial too and said his church has been offering prayer and presence to first responders and victims. He, along with Bishop Marc Steele, encouraged people to gather for worship and to find hope in the power of faith in tragedy. "How can you not look at those photographs and realize that every single human being — every life, young and old — is precious and sacred?" Dobbs said. "These were beautiful people, just living their lives, serving one another and in one moment, their lives were snuffed out. Their families changed forever." Dobbs said that one of his pastors was lucky to get out with his life as his rector was completely destroyed, while other members of the church had a family member who was killed. "There are still considerable numbers of people who are yet to be found, who are missing, so this community has changed forever," Dobbs said. "This is a time to gather around what is the focus of the Christian faith — the hope that Jesus brings us — gather to worship Him and receive the support of each other."Original article source: 'River of Angels' memorial rises in Kerrville as flood victims remembered
India Gazette
02-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Manipur: Union Home Secretary, IB Chief visit relief centres in Churachandpur; tailoring centres, creche facilities inaugurated
Churachandpur (Manipur) [India], June 2 (ANI): Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Tapan Kumar Deka visited two relief centres for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Manipur's Churachandpur on Monday. They were accompanied by Manipur Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, Director General of Police Rajeev Singh, and other senior officials from both the Centre and the state government. The visit began with an inspection of the relief centre at Dorcas Locality Community Hall, where the Home Secretary inaugurated a Women's Tailoring Centre under the Rural Self-Employment Training Institutes (RSETI), a creche facility and the Wall of Hope. During the visit, traditional shawls and gifts were presented to the dignitaries in a special programme. The officials also felicitated displaced students, from Class I to matriculation, who had excelled in academics, awarding them certificates and other forms of recognition. The delegation then moved to the Sadbhavna Mandap Relief Centre, where the Home Secretary inaugurated additional tailoring centres, a creche facility, the Wall of Hope and handicraft stalls. Govind Mohan also distributed gifts among the relief centre inmates and reviewed the living conditions and welfare arrangements for those displaced by recent unrest. President's Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, days after BJP leader N. Biren Singh resigned as Chief Minister. The state has witnessed ethnic conflict which began on May 3, 2023. The Parliament approved the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur in April. In his remarks during the debate in Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said that ethnic violence between two communities in Manipur had started due to a decision by the Manipur High Court regarding a reservation-related dispute. He mentioned that these are neither riots nor terrorism, but ethnic violence between two communities as a result of the interpretation of the High Court's decision. He mentioned that on the day the High Court's order was issued, security forces' companies were dispatched to the region via Air Force planes. He emphasised that the government is making every possible effort to restore peace in Manipur. The minister also mentioned that after the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur, discussions were held with both communities, and separate meetings with all organizations from both communities have taken place. (ANI)
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Wall of Hope' memorializes DC plane crash victims
A "Wall of Hope" memorial has been set up to honor those who lost their lives in the recent Washington, D.C., plane crash. "Something about flowers makes you begin to heal, and I think that's so important," said the founder of Wall of Hope Foundation Leo Soto. The memorial, which is housed along the National Mall in Washington, D.C., features hundreds of flowers and pictures of all 67 people killed on Jan. 29, when an American Airlines regional jet crashed into a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. Soto, 29, has brought these floral displays, also known as "walls of hope," to cities across the globe that have suffered disastrous tragedies since 2021, when he lost a high school friend to a building collapse in Surfside, Florida, and wanted to pay tribute to the lives lost. He previously set up memorials in Uvalde, Texas, after the horrific school shooting in 2022, in Fort Myers, Florida after Hurricane Ian in 2022 and even in Lviv, Ukraine to honor the civilian victims of the war. "When things happen, people don't really have a central location to come to for the community to begin to grieve and pay respects to their loved ones," Soto told ABC News. "So they walk around aimlessly like zombies." Soto has built connections with flower importers in his hometown of Miami but also seeks out local businesses in the impacted areas he travels to for donated flowers. Typically, Soto will show up alone, with loads of fresh flowers and laminated pictures of victims, when something indescribable happens — strangers off the street offer to help set up the display, each taking a moment to contribute to this memorial. Soto said he began working in D.C. on Tuesday and the display only took about three hours to complete. MORE: Olympic figure skaters to honor DC plane crash victims in tribute show The best part about the memorial process is the community's ability to make each memorial its own, Soto told ABC News. Whether it's adding teddy bears, poems or paintings, Soto's original idea takes on its own meaning, full of powerful emotion. "I've seen people cry, I've seen people hug me. I've seen people avoid looking at it because it's so painful," Soto said. "It creates a genuine reaction within each individual, and I think that's a beautiful way to honor the victims that were lost." Soto encourages memorial visitors to bring artificial flowers to replenish the display and lengthen the lifespan of the tribute. Soto said the foundation is also partnering with local artists to add additional creations to the side panels of the memorial. "The community involvement is what's really important to me," Soto said. "It's not just a memorial that's there to be seen. It's a memorial that's there to be grown and taken over by the local community." 'Wall of Hope' memorializes DC plane crash victims originally appeared on
