"After fatal West Texas crash, University of the Southwest community turns to faith"
/Anthony Olivieri travels to Hobbs, New Mexico and explains how the University of the Southwest community is turning to faith in the face of unimaginable grief. Carve out a few minutes to read this and remember the innocent lives lost.
Inside the ropes at Rockwind Community Links is another memorial. Just outside the pro shop and next to a covered outdoor patio, there are golf balls with messages of prayer and bouquets of flowers with cards attached addressed to both the school and the course.
USW's golf teams were at Rockwind every day, working on their games. Golf pro Ben Kirkes knew every player who died. Two players on the roster who didn't make the trip to the tournament in Midland worked at the course. Kirkes had trouble putting it all into words. Everyone grieves differently.
During his time as a resident on the dorms staff, Joshua Garcia-Matta oversaw Jackson Zinn and Karisa Raines and Travis Garcia. He affectionately referred to Tiago Sousa as TT. He said Laci Stone was bright and funny and humble.
"Words don't describe the pain and the loss everyone is experiencing as a whole," said Garcia-Matta, who also is on the cheer team. "All those people on that bus, I knew personally."