This is the 3rd time Gonzalez is running in remembrance of the victims, and for every $1,000 raised she will give out one scholarship.
SAN ANTONIO — As the fourth year mark of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School approaches Sunday, a San Antonio nurse and ultramarathon runner is once again turning miles into scholarships for students in the Uvalde community.
Paloma Gonzalez began her annual memorial run Saturday afternoon in Uvalde, marking the third consecutive year she has honored 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 a 24-hour period. Last year, citing safety concerns, she kept the run within Uvalde city limits. This year, she is again following a local route, completing a 5-kilometer course 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 for the event. “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.”
During the run, Gonzalez is raising money through online donations and T-shirt sales. For every $1,000 raised, she plans to fund a scholarship for a Uvalde student.
Over the past two years, Gonzalez has awarded 10 scholarships through the initiative and said she hopes to continue expanding the program this year.
What began as a gesture of support from a San Antonio resident has evolved into something more personal, Gonzalez said, as she has built relationships with victims’ families and members of the Uvalde community.
She said she now feels deeply connected to the city and its residents.
Gonzalez is posting live updates throughout the run on her “Miles For You” Facebook page. You can also buy t-shirts on her Facebook page.