BUFFALO, N.Y. — "We become one in the midst of a storm."
That is the first line on a plaque that was presented to the Tops location on Jefferson Avenue. The presentation marked the partnership between the store and the Community Health Center of Buffalo.
The center's mission is to help and heal, and that was obvious in the days and weeks after the shooting.
"It's hard to put to words how much they have done for us. A lot of time you don't recognize the effects of trauma," said Patrick Patterson, a Tops employee.
"The days following the May 14 shooting [were] rough for Zaire. It was rough for me. It was rough for my family. Dr. Ansari brought a team of doctors into our house to not only check on Zaire and check on his wounds, but to check on me. So thank you," said Zeneta Everhart, whose son is a survivor of the Tops shooting.
The ceremony was part of National Health Center Week. The centers are federally funded.