Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey visited Uvalde, Texas, his hometown, following the mass shooting last week Tuesday that killed 19 children and 2 adults, Rep. Tony Gonzales said.
McConaughey met with families and community members Friday at the Uvalde Civic Center. Gonzales, a Republican who represents Uvalde in Congress, tweeted out pictures of McConaughey meeting with members of the Uvalde community on Friday.
"This week was a solemn reminder that evil exists in the world, but we will never let it break us. We’ll unite to be an even more powerful reminder that love never fails & together we can change things," he wrote. "Appreciate Uvalde native Matthew McConaughey helping us heal."
Later Friday, Gonzales sent another tweet, thanking McConaughey again for his visit.
"Thank you Matthew for helping to heal our community. Your visit brought so many smiling faces to Uvalde. See you soon my friend," he wrote.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, McConaughey shared a statement on social media, which didn't directly mention gun safety but said "we are failing to be responsible for the rights our freedoms grant us."
“This is an epidemic we can control, and whichever side of the aisle we may stand on, we all know we can do better,” he continued. “Action must be taken so that no parent has to experience what the parents in Uvalde and the others before them have endured.”
He said "we must do better" and offered his prayers to those in Uvalde affected by the shooting.
"And to those who dropped off their loved ones today not knowing it was goodbye, no words can comprehend or heal your loss, but if prayers can provide comfort, we will keep them coming," he wrote.
McConaughey was born in Uvalde, and his mother, Kay McCabe, taught at St. Philip’s Episcopal School, which is about a mile from Robb Elementary School, People reported.
