Heather Heyer’s Friend: Heather Wouldn’t Want Anger
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – A memorial Sunday, growing across the pavement in the same spot where 32-year-old Heather Heyer was run over by an accused domestic terrorist on Saturday. People laid flowers, lit candles and sand. Madison Downs, a Charlottesville area resident, is a Marine Corp veteran and a military chaplain. He came to the downtown memorial to pay tribute to Heyer. Downs says, “It’s an assault on everyone who has fought for the country. For people to be out, displaying swastikas and, depends on where you swing as far as how you feel about the Confederate flag, but using it the way they do, it’s an assault on everyone who is American.”
Damonica Williams and her boyfriend had tee-shirts printed with one of Heyer’s last Facebook posts that said, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” Williams worked with Heyer. Williams says, “(She was) always smiling, always laughing. The restaurant business is hard, so that’s a hard thing to have to do, because you’re dealing with people all the time, but she was just a joy to work with.”
Williams tells WCCB News @ Ten anchor Morgan Fogarty that she wishes she told Heyer on Friday night, the last time they spoke, not to attend the Saturday protest. Her emotions are now at odds with each other. She says, “A part of me, I’ve been angry the past couple of days, but the type of person she is, she wouldn’t want you to be that way.”
Other Charlottesville residents we approached declined to speak, saying there are no words to describe what happened here. Andrew Vanbuesking says he is still trying to process it. He says, “I’m not sure, to be honest. It’s confusing to think about everything that’s going on.”
John Hall is a resident of Charlottesville and a member of a local church. He walked around Sunday handing out water, and as he puts it, spreading love. He says, “It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen. I’ve never seen hatred like that personified, evil personified.” His answer, “You just need to be here, doing something about it, spreading some love. Keep on living our lives. Don’t let them win. Keep loving people.”
