On the morning of Tuesday, May 24, following his on-air duties at a South Texas Radio station serving a region some 65 miles west of greater San Antonio, Mario Rangel — a man of many talents — headed to Robb Elementary School to take pictures of his daughter, Madison. She and her classmates were happy to receive award certificates and looking forward to the summer vacation.
Just hours later, an 18-year-old gunman entered the school, walked into another classroom and opened fire. Rangel had already departed the school, but sprung into action.
Rangel also serves as the chief of the Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department, thrusting him into the delicate role of emergency operations management, getting important information out to a grieving community an hour away from local TV crews and print journalists, and concerned parent of a student still inside the school.
