RICHMOND, Va. — An outpouring of love was sketched on the sidewalks surrounding what remains of Fox Elementary School in Richmond, Virginia.
The 358 students enrolled at the school were not alone in their grief Saturday as people came by the school to view the damage and show their support.
A chain link fence was installed around the shell of what was a 60,000-square-foot haven for learning.
One mother who brought her children to see what was left of their school said her little ones were distraught.
"They cried. They love their school — their classmates especially," she said as she snapped a photo of her three boys in their Team Fox t-shirts.
One girl chalking a design on the sidewalk said that her friend was relieved at least the playground was spared.
A boy reflecting on the loss of the 110-year-old building worried about what would happen to the school's animal inhabitants.
“These cute little swallow birds that would fly around the school and they would nest in the rafters of the school,” he said. “And I think it's so sad because their home was basically destroyed.”
The school will be closed Monday and Tuesday before shifting to virtual learning.
This story was first reported by Bree Sison at WTVR in Richmond, Virginia.
