A father and husband who lost most of his family in the Sutherland Springs Church massacre five months ago is now speaking out.
Chris Ward, whose wife and daughter and step daughter were murdered by the church shooter, is now parenting his surviving six-year-old son Ryland alone.
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Ward says that “starting over,” or “trying to,” is what he’s using to look forward to through his grief.
He also revealed that Ryland was shot in the stomach during the chaos an that “it kind of messed everything up,” later adding, “It’s getting better. He’s a lot stronger.”
Speaking to Dallas News, Ward went on to say that he avoids the church and the town if he can help it, as the memories are too painful. “I don’t even go over there,” he said.
While he did not say too much, due to the overwhelming nature of how personal and painful it all is, Ward did state that he believes he’ll be able to open up more one day. “Next time,” he said. “Maybe I can talk more.”
As was widely reported, on Nov. 5, a man named Devin Kelley walked into a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas and began shooting at the members of the congregation. By the end of his vicious attack he had killed 26 people.
Not long after the shooting, an ex-wife of the man opened up about her terrifying relationship with him.
Speaking to Inside Edition, Tessa Brennaman revealed that while she was married to Kelley he would physically, emotionally and mentally abuse her.
“He would choke me, punch me, kick me,” Brennaman told Inside Edition. “There would be times where I was on the floor curled up and I would have to protect my organs because he would be violently kicking me.”
On one frightening occasion, Brennaman claims that Kelley even held a gun against her head while they were driving.
“He said, ‘Do you want to die? Do you want to die?’” she recalled.
Brennaman says Kelley then pointed the gun at himself and confessed to abusing her child. She also revealed death threats that he made her.
“He’s like, ‘I could just bury you somewhere in the desert and no one would ever find you,’” she said.
Brennaman met Kelley when the two of them worked together in a restaurant. She admitted to finding him charming at first, and revealed that the abuse started after they were married.
