SAN ANTONIO — A Paloma Gonzalez is once again honoring the victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting by turning her annual memorial run into a scholarship fundraiser for students in the Uvalde community.
As the fourth anniversary of the tragedy approaches Sunday, Gonzalez began a 24-hour run in Uvalde on Saturday, marking the third consecutive year she has paid tribute to the 21 victims killed in the May 24, 2022 shooting, including 19 children and two teachers.
Gonzalez first launched the effort in 2024, when she ran more than 70 miles from San Antonio to Uvalde over the course of a day. Last year, she kept the run within Uvalde city limits due to safety concerns.
This year, she is completing a 5-kilometer route every hour for 24 hours beginning at the town square.
“I always want them to know that they’re not alone, that everything that happened should not have happened,” Gonzalez said before leaving San Antonio.
“There’s nothing that we can do to help, but I want them to at least know that we are there, that they don’t have to go through this alone,” she added.
Through online donations and T-shirt sales, Gonzalez is raising funds for scholarships that will benefit Uvalde students. She said every $1,000 raised will fund one scholarship.
Over the past two years, Gonzalez has awarded 10 scholarships through the initiative and hopes to expand the program further this year.
What started as a gesture of solidarity has since become deeply personal for Gonzalez, who said she has formed close relationships with victims’ families and members of the Uvalde community.
She continues to share live updates from the run through her “Miles For You” Facebook page.
