LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — No place quite like the Las Vegas Community Healing Garden exists because many of the people most affected by the shooting helped build it in the days immediately following 1 October, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.
Survivors painted the tiles that line much of the garden, they helped plant the trees, and several have continued to maintain the garden in the five years since the shooting.
Sue Ann Cornwell has been one of the volunteers keeping the green oasis in the middle of a concrete jungle alive.
"All of the Route 91 family calls me the keeper of the garden," Cornwell said.
She said she has taken up the unofficial mantle of "keeper" of the Community Healing Garden because she was on the strip that night.
"I started out coming down because one of the angels passed away in my truck, Denise Burditus, and I came to take care of her stuff," Cornwell said, "and I saw the need for somebody else to help."
Cornwell has been joined nearly every day leading up to the 5th year remembrance ceremonies by other volunteers like Alicia Mierke, another survivor, to make sure it's ready to welcome people seeking closure.
"I've gotten to watch how this garden has changed," Mierke said, "and how the garden has healed people from all over the world."
The humble plot of land has changed drastically from its first concept, a sketch on a napkin penned the day after the shooting, and it's first iteration was open to the public within five days of the shooting.
Thousands of people from the community did their part to build the garden through their own sweat and tears.
"They came down here, thousands of people, volunteers came down here, and built this amazing place," Cornwell said.
Cornwell and Mierke said the garden, in their eyes, has transformed from a place marred by sadness to one of serenity, love, and even laughter as volunteers set about their work.
"All you feel is 58 people hugging you every single time you come into this garden," Mierke said. "We have a lot of fun and laughs in this garden now, and there's a lot of healing that goes on."
"They come down here and they bring their kids and thier kids bring life to the garden," Cornwell said.
As Clark County develops plans to build what they've called a permanent memorial on the grounds of the shooting, Healing Garden volunteers said the original memorial would live on for the victims, for the survivors, and for everyone who needs to heal.
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"I hope they know that they can come here and find that because our 58 angels, they work hard," Cornwell said. "They work hard every day to help people heal as we walk that path."
The City of Las Vegas will host a memorial at the Healing Garden Saturday at 10:05 p.m. to remember those lost and those still working to find solace.
