People across Wyoming sent love and support for the 7-year-old shooting survivor who continues to fight for her life in the hospital. She was one of four children shot by their mother Monday in Byron, Wyoming. The other three died in the scene in the murder-suicide.
An event organized online called “Wyoming for Olivia” had many people praying for the young girl.
Watch the video of this story:
“We, being a small state when tragic things happen, it’s hard not to know somebody who knows somebody,” says Abby Roich.
A tragedy that has not only hit the small Wyoming town of Byron hard, but has been felt all around the Cowboy State— even hundreds of miles away.
“I was sitting around and thinking I need to do something. God put it on my heart to do something,” Roich says.
She called two of her Wyoming friends with an idea to get as many people all across the state to pause for one hour from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday to light a candle and say a prayer.
Vigils were held in several places.
“If I know anything about our small little state its that when we need to come together and support one another we’ll do it, so I knew it could happen," says Jamie Anderson of Casper, who also helped organize the vigil.
“We want to pray for Olivia and all the little ones affected by the tragedy—pray for healing—pray for the fathers I cannot imagine what they are going through,” says Shelby Willis.
It’s impossible to fathom that. Four young children shot—three dead at the hands their own mother, who had battled depression, according to family members.
“It’s touched a lot of different lives. It’s touched people who have had suicides happen to them who had postpartum depression who have lost children,” Roich says.
Seven-year old Olivia survived and is hanging on in a Salt Lake hospital after undergoing brain surgery.
“I just want her to know that at one point in time the whole state was standing up and fighting for her and praying for her and same with everyone involved,” says Roich.
“Hopefully this helps Olivia."
