It’s that time of year when children return to school. For many this is a joyous occasion, but for the survivors of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, this seemingly normal yearly occurrence is fraught with sadness, anxiety, uncertainty, and guilt. It is difficult to feel safe after 19 of your friends and two of your teachers were senselessly killed by an 18-year-old shooter.
A nonprofit named Don't Forget About Me stepped in to help ease these emotions by giving survivors, both kids and parents alike, a back-to-school haircut and massage. This allowed them to laugh, smile, and feel good for a couple of hours.
Luis Burgos founded Don’t Forget About Me in 2017. He was inspired to do so after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico. He saw a woman on the news who had been trapped for two days on a mountain.
The woman frantically told the reporter, “They forgot about me.” Luis vowed to never let anyone feel like that again. Luis told People magazine, "So I flipped it. No te olvides de mi [don't forget me]."
He went on to say, "Trauma survivors need healing. It's not about forgetting the tragedy. It's not about forgetting what's happening, but you need a little bit of respite."
These moments of self-care were just what was needed. Mother Eva Martinez came to the event with her two children, Angela and Abigail Villanueva. They all received new haircuts. She told People, “We're still mourning. But this is a way to take care of ourselves."
The same was true for 7-year-old Ambrielle Ramirez. She received her very first haircut. Mother Michelle Alvarez mused, "That's her hair since she was born. She's never cut it. I think she cut her own bangs."
Her brother, 17-year-old Jacob Dominguez, also came along. He worries about his sister but is glad she will attend a private school with bulletproof windows and locks. "It's going to be a good school for her. She'll be safe."
Nine-year-old Angela Villanueva admitted she was anxious about going back to school: “I'm a little nervous.” But on the day of the event, she got to feel good taking pictures after her haircut. "I felt like a queen when I took the pictures," she said. "It felt like a photo shoot."
Parents were also included in the event. Amelia Cervantes got a massage. She is a mother of four whose oldest child attended Robb Elementary. "I wanted to do one thing for me," she explained. "Sometimes, you never realize you have a stress. And you need some time for yourself, and to take care of yourself."
Amelia and all the others in attendance were rejuvenated by the experience. It’s amazing what taking some time for oneself can do. Amelia said it best: "I appreciate all of this. It was a good day." After the tragedy these resilient humans faced, they deserve all of it.
