SAN ANTONIO – Several months after a horrific mass shooting claimed the lives of 26 members at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, an Ohio man traveled to Texas to pay his respects through art.
The gesture was a bittersweet moment as the artist, Ron Moore Jr., drew portraits of all of the victims and presented it to their loved ones on Sunday.
Moore said it took him three hours per portrait to complete.
Among the portraits drawn was Pastor Frank Pomeroy's 14-year-old daughter, Annabelle.
Pomeroy said seeing her face stirred up some anxiety, but also peace knowing he was going to be with her in heaven one day. Moore said receiving responses like that was so humbling for him.
“I wanted to do something that would bless these families,” Moore said. “I wanted to do something to show these families that they are loved and artwork is the only way I know how to do it, so I figured I could do these portraits of these victims so these families could have some kind of comfort and and some kind of healing.”
As far as the status of the rebuilding efforts, Pomeroy said the plumbing seems to be in place and the framework of the new building has been shaping up.
Pomeroy said now they can only continue to put God first and take things a day at a time.