ANDREWS, Texas — There were more shows of support for the Andrews High School band during the city's annual parade and light show Friday.
Bands from all over the Permian Basin and even as far away as Lubbock came out to support the Andrews band after it was involved in the bus crash a few weeks ago.
Roughly 32 bands came out to play in the parade, totaling about 1,260 performers. Everyone was marching to the beat of the Mighty Mustang Band.
"This is all about them," Chris Wheeler, one of the people in charge of getting a lot of bands to Andrews, said.
The heart of Andrews grew three-fold during the community's greatest time of need.
"It’s just a show of love. I mean there’s no other way to put this. I mean it’s just you know, for 1,260 kiddos, high school kiddos, to give up their Friday night to just come and love on somebody that just may be hurting and going through this tragedy. And just in the healing process, it just says everything about what they were about, what West Texas is about," Wheeler said.
This was likely the largest parade that Andrews had seen. It was a physical display of showing up for your people and proving that you are never truly alone.
At the front of the parade, which also included roughly 50 floats, the Andrews band led the way. It was something that they were excited about and there were only positive things said about it all.
"We can’t be grateful enough. We don’t have words to express how grateful we are. Thank y’all for all your support. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers and continue to do so cause the Andrews band needs it," Nohemi Sanchez, Executive Director for the Andrews Chamber of Commerce said.