TWO school sweethearts killed in the massacre in Uvalde, Texas will be laid to rest next to each other.
The families of Xavier James Lopez and Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, both 10, confirmed that the two will be buried next to one another this week.
The fourth graders were among the 19 children killed at Robb Elementary school on May 24.
Despite their young age, Xavier and Annabell had shared a love story that went beyond passing notes and sharing smiles with each other during class.
Annabell told her mother, Monica Gallegos, about Xavier after her first day of school, saying he dressed and smelled “really nice.”
Gallegos and Xavier’s mom, Felicha Martinez, would later find out the youngsters would text each other “I love you” before bed.
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“Me and Felicia would laugh, like, ‘How do y’all know about love?’” Gallegos told ABC News.
Soon, Annabell had a picture of Xavier around her neck, which she wore for all of his little league games.
Their families arranged cookouts together so the kids could spend more time with one another.
On the morning of May 24, Annabell and Xavier posed for a picture at an awards ceremony in the cafeteria. Xavier had made it to the honor roll for the first time and Annabell’s mother joked that her daughter’s smarts had rubbed off on him.
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About an hour later, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos entered the school and began shooting, killing 21 people in total and injuring multiple others.
Annabell and Xavier will be buried at Hillcrest Cemetery in Uvalde. The mothers said they made the decision to bury their children side by side.
“I’m not ready,” said Gallegos as she made the final preparations for her daughter’s funeral.
The mothers said that, although the kids might not have remembered it, Annabell and Xavier first met when they were toddlers.
Annabell’s grandfather and great-grandfather had lived in a trailer park where Xavier’s family used to live. They would often play outside together when Annabel would visit.
“She had this big old crush on him,” said Gallegos.
Even their teacher, Arnulfo Reyes, knew about the kids’ love for one another.
Reyes lost all of his 11 students in room 111 on the day of the shooting. He is still recovering from his own gunshot wounds but was able to speak about the pair’s relationship.
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“He would make things for her, he would write notes for her,” said Reyes from his hospital bed.
“It brings a smile to your face just to think they really loved each other.”
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