As the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros get ready for their next football game, the cheer team is also preparing.

One cheerleader is even honoring her hometown, Uvalde, with a unique tribute.

For sophomore Madi Velasquez, making the UTRGV cheer team was a dream come true.

"I was at a baby shower there in Uvalde and that's when I saw my number was on there. I had actually texted the account, 'hey, did I make it?' just to make sure. They told me yes, you made the team, and I just started crying. My whole family was there, so we were all crying and excited," Madi said.

Madi grew up about 85 miles west of San Antonio, in the tight-knit community of Uvalde, one that was forever changed on May 24, 2022.

"To me, it is something, to me, that is so tragic that I can't put into wo

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