Mom of Texas baby shot grateful for answered prayer: ‘God does not cause tragedies like this’
A 17-month-old girl was among the dozens of people shot in a mass shooting on Saturday in Odessa, Texas, and the toddler's mother says she doesn't believe God is behind such tragedies. Rather, God is helping them get through it all.
Anderson Davis was strapped next to her twin brother in car seats that were hooked to their family’s SUV when a gunman, Seth Ator, fired an assault rifle, killing seven people and wounding more than 20 others.
According to her mother, Anderson had shrapnel in her right chest and a hole through her bottom lip and tongue, which knocked out her front teeth. Once she realized the young girl was shot, the concerned mother began screaming.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
“Angels are everywhere,” her mother, Kelby Davis, told CBS 7 after the shooting, saying the rescuers were “truly the calm in the midst of the storm.”
The toddler was airlifted to University Medical Center in Lubbock where she had to undergo surgery.
“I’m grateful Anderson is here,” her mom tearfully said while her daughter was in surgery on Sunday. “I’m so thankful that we’re not one of those families that’s on the other side of this. And it makes you feel guilty almost.”
“But that’s why I just have to remind myself that God does not cause tragedies like this, but God is going to walk with all of us,” Davis stated.
On the baby’s GoFundMe page, Davis further testified of answered prayers once she discovered that Anderson survived the shooting.
“We are on a very long drive to Lubbock. Anderson is alive and that is a prayer answered bigger than I've ever had to pray. Her vitals are good. She is being flown to Lubbock while we drive. Not getting to fly with her is beyond painful,” the comments on GoFundMe read.
“She is alive. When others today are not alive. I ask you to continue praying for our hearts as we experience this, pray for complete healing of Anderson, pray for every other family in our same situation, or worse, today and pray for the shooters. Pray that whatever is causing them to do this will be defeated by God and they will stop shooting."
The family has raised over $200,000 of a $300,000 goal meant to help them with all of the expenses they will incur due to the tragedy. The fundraising campaign was put together by Anderson’s preschool teacher, Haylee Wilkerson, who said Anderson is now “home and doing amazing!”
