5-year-old survivor of Texas church massacre just wants Christmas cards for the holidays
Ryland Ward, 5 years old, who lost his stepmother and sisters in the Nov. 5 church attack in Sutherland Springs, Texas, wants just one thing for the holidays this year: Christmas cards.
Ward, who was shot five times, remains in recovery at a Texas hospital and is expected to remain there for another six to eight weeks. He still has no idea that his stepmother and sisters were killed. His other sister, Rianna, survived the shooting.
“They still haven’t told him yet that his mom and sisters are dead, but I’m sure he’s kind of getting some kind of idea, because he’s 5, and they don’t come to visit him,” Ward’s grandmother told KSAT.
Christmas cards for Ryland have already begun pouring into his hospital room. They include well-wishes from other children and even photos of their pets. Ward’s family is asking that a $1 donation be included with each card to save up to buy Ryland a go-kart.
Cards can be sent to the following address:
Ryland Ward
P.O. Box 174
Sutherland Springs, Texas, 78161
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with Ryland’s hospital bills.
Mental as well as physical wounds linger after the shooting, the worst in Texas history, after they unfolded back in November.
On the morning of Nov. 5, 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley walked towards the First Baptist Church wearing black tactical gear and carrying a semi-automatic rifle. He began firing even before walking through the door and once inside, methodically executed the parishioners, leaving 26 dead and another 20 wounded.
Kelley was shot twice after exiting the church by former NRA firearms instructor Stephen Willeford. Willeford, armed with an AR-15 style rifle, had been in the area and responded to the sounds of gunfire.
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