Matthew McConaughey returned to his hometown of Uvalde, Texas on May 31 to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary school that occurred on May 24. The massacre ended with 19 children and two adults dead at the hands of a local 18-year-old, who was killed by police during a stand-off. Matthew, 52, was accompanied by his wife, Camila, 40, their children, Levi, 13, Vida, 12, and Livingston, 9, and his brother 67-year-old brother, Rooster.
In a photo shared by CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez (seen here), the famous family can be seen solemnly paying their respects to the victims by bowing their heads and holding hands at a memorial outside Robb Elementary filled with flowers, candles, cards, and other offerings left by mourners. Another photo showed them observing a different section of the memorial, which included crosses with the victims’ names on them. A third snapshot showed Matthew taking a picture of the area.
Matthew was on the grounds paying his respects without his full family on Friday, May 27. He was accompanied by Republican congressman Tony Gonzales, 41, who shared some snapshots of the visit. “This week was a solemn reminder that evil exists in the world, but we will never let it break us. We’ll unite to be an even more powerful reminder that love never fails & together we can change things,” he wrote. “Appreciate Uvalde native Matthew McConaughey helping us heal.” In the photos, the Academy Award winner was seen smiling with members of the Uvalde community.
This week was a solemn reminder that evil exists in the world, but we will never let it break us. We’ll unite to be an even more powerful reminder that love never fails & together we can change things.
Appreciate Uvalde native Matthew McConaughey helping us heal. #UvaldeUnited pic.twitter.com/2LwZPbuVNX
— Tony Gonzales (@TonyGonzales4TX) May 27, 2022
The Interstellar actor, whose mother formerly worked at nearby St. Philip’s Episcopal School, did not address the public during either of his visits. However, he did speak out hours after the horrific shooting. “As you are all aware there was another mass shooting today, this time in my home town of Uvalde, Texas,” he began in his May 25 Instagram post. “Once again, we have tragically proven that we are failing to be responsible for the rights our freedoms grant us.”
He then asked Americans to reflect on their values with the slaughtered children in mind. “The true call to action now is for every America to take a longer and deeper look in the mirror and ask ourselves ‘what is it that we truly value? How do we repair the problem? What small sacrifices we individually take today, to preserve a healthier and safer nation, state, and neighborhood tomorrow?’ We cannot exhale again, make excuse, and accept these tragic realities as the status quo.”
He continued, “As Americans, Texans, mothers and fathers, it’s time we re-evaluate and renegotiate our wants and our needs. We have to rearrange our values and find a common ground above this devastating American reality that has tragically become our children’s issue. This is an epidemic we can control, and whichever side of the aisle we may stand on, we all know we can do better. We must do better. Action must be taken so that no parent has to experience what the parents in Uvalde and the others before them have endured.”
Matthew was the second star to visit the Uvalde community following the shooting. On May 26, Meghan Markle, 40, paid respects by observing a memorial outside the Uvalde County Courthouse. She added a bouquet of white roses to the memorial. President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden arrived in Uvalde, Texas on Sunday, May 29 to show their respects. Furthermore, several celebrities spoke out about the incident and gun violence, including, but not limited to, Kim Kardashian, Prince Jackson, and Selena Gomez.