The first of the Uvalde massacre victims are being laid to rest today.
Heroic Amerie Jo Garza, 10, was in the process of calling 911 in a bid to save her classmates when she was slain by crazed gunman Salvador Ramos.
She has been posthumously awarded the Girl Scout Bronze Cross for her bravery in the wake of the onslaught at Robb Elementary School in the Texas town last week.
Her funeral Mass took place at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church this afternoon.
Her fellow Scouts were among the hundreds of mourners, some of whom were forced to stand outside as the church was so full.
Others wore T-shirts with pictures of the 21 victims and the slogan: "Know their names."
Weeping pallbearers had red roses in the buttonholes of their white shirts as they carried Amerie Jo's silver coffin into the church behind an undertaker holding a cross.
A second victim, Maite Rodriguez, also 10, will be buried following a ceremony in a funeral home this evening.
The girls were among 19 children killed in the worst US school shooting in a decade.
Two of their teachers - Irma Garcia, 48, and Eva Mireles, 44 - were also slain as they tried to save them.
Irma's husband Joe, 50, died of a heart attack two days later, which his family put down to grief.
Amerie Jo's family described the schoolgirl - who dreamed of being an art teacher and doted on her three-year-old brother Zayne - as “a protector of her classmates.”
They added: “This world will never have another Amerie.
"She will truly be missed. She was a kind, caring, blunt, loving, sweet, sassy and, of course, funny little diva who hated dresses but truly had a heart of gold.
“She loved Chick-Fil-A and vanilla bean frappe from Starbucks.
“Her favourite hobbies were swimming, drawing, and most of all, spending time with family.”
Among the mourners were her mum Kimberley, dad Alfred, and stepdad Angel.
They’d spent Monday saying private goodbyes at a local funeral home before reciting the rosary - a Catholic ritual following death - over her body.
Distraught Angel broke down in an interview with local TV crews before he went to the mortuary to say his final farewell.
He first learned his stepdaughter was dead from her best friend, who emerged from the school covered in blood.
He said: “I don’t want to go to the funeral home. I don’t want peoples’ condolences. I just want my baby back.”
After the Mass, Amerie Jo's body was taken for a private burial at a local cemetery.
The family of Maite - who wanted to be a marine biologist - said she had "gained her angel wings" in a tribute released by the funeral home prior to her ceremony.
They added: "Maite was a sweet girl and those who knew and loved her were blessed with her kind, ambitious, friendly and sweet soul.
"She was an honour student who enjoyed learning about animals and the ocean; especially dolphins, whales, and dogs.
"She dreamt of attending The University of Texas in Corpus Christi to become a marine biologist because of her caring heart towards wildlife and the animals within it."
Family members - including mum Ana, stepdad Danilo, dad Adrean and stepmum Dayami - spent yesterday and today with her body at the mortuary. They also said the rosary together.
Ramos - who purchased two AK15 rifles just days earlier on his 18th birthday - was shot dead by Border Patrol cops more than 40 minutes after emergency services were alerted last Tuesday.
US justice chiefs have now launched a probe in a bid to find out whether the response time cost lives.
Before arriving at the school, Ramos shot his 66-year-old grandmother Celia Gonzalez in the face. She is still being treated at a hospital 90 miles away in San Antonio.
Parish priest Father Eduardo Morales, who conducted Amerie Jo’s funeral, said he would work with the families of the victims in a bid to help them forgive Ramos.
Father Morales, 62, who grew up in Uvalde, said: “Part of this journey for the families is to be able to forgive the young man who did this.
“The only people who are going to hurt if they don’t find this peace and forgiveness are them.
“I have told them, ‘It’s okay to be angry’. Of course they are angry - everyone is. But it is very important they do not allow their anger to be turned into hate.
“Then, it is harder to find peace within. We need to give them space and time to find healing.”
Father Morales is set to say at least another 11 funeral Masses in the coming days.
Irma and Joe Garcia will be buried following a joint ceremony at the church tomorrow (WED).
Some ceremonies are still in the process of being arranged as funeral homes - who have waived fees for families - struggle to cope with demand.
