VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Large crowds continue to make their way to the memorial for the 12 Virginia Beach city workers killed on Friday.
On Wednesday, a large tent covered the memorial to keep it protected from predicted rain, but one woman is working behind the scenes to make sure the flowers left by mourners last.
Androula Charilaou lives near the municipal center. On Friday, she heard all of the first responders in action.
Since then, she’s been at a loss, not knowing what she could do to help so many people suffering. So, she got to work.
“In respect for the people who died, it’s just so hot and I just feel like we need to do it for the community, too,” said Charilaou. “I keep water in the car, so I brought them from home, actually, and the buckets are from Harris Teeter.”
Using her own supplies, she makes sure that every flower laid down at the memorial is watered and placed upright in a bucket.
Faces of the Virginia Beach mass shooting
“You can’t have all the flowers laying like this because they’re going to die. I just can’t bare it.”
With more and more flowers being brought to the site each day, she’s staying busy, but she doesn’t mind.
“It’s all love, isn’t it? Love for the neighborhood. We have to stick together definitely have to stick together.”
Charilaou isn’t the only one finding her own way of helping people at the memorial.
Others are helping by bringing, tissues, prayer candles and water to those mourning. Cynthia Jones is a nurse. In between shifts, she came to the memorial to give out hugs.
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