ABC 6 News Exclusive: Yammy Bear meets Uvalde families

(ABC 6 News) – As part of an ABC 6 News exclusive, we are following along with Yammy Bear, a fan-favorite mascot who is working to lift the spirits of those affected by the tragic shooting in Uvalde, TX.

Yammy Bear, also known as Charles Jackson, and his wife Carolann have always felt called to give back to the community.

"I just thought it was fun at first. I didn’t have a vision of it being so helpful."

RELATED: Yammy Bear is headed to Uvalde… and ABC 6 News is going with him

That mission brought them around 13 hundred miles away to Uvalde, Texas.

Corina Camacho, a mother whose son was injured in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary reached out to Yammy Bear on Facebook.

Saying, "I read your status about if you are going to visit the kids in Uvalde. The kids would love to see you."

"It was pretty much ordained. When she reached out it was kind of that final confirmation that we’re going to Uvalde."

And word travels fast.

"Uvalde is a small little town that we have here and everybody knows everybody here."

Isabel Silguero lost her nieces Jailah Silguero and Nevaeh Bravo to the tragedy. She says she first heard about the shooting on social media.

"To me, when I saw that, I’m like – oh it’s almost the end of the school year. People are prank-calling and making jokes. It’ll pass. It’ll pass right now. And seriously, this didn’t pass."

After hearing about Yammy Bear’s visit, she set up an event at the local Fast-food chain Church’s Chicken, where she manages, for Uvalde children to laugh and have some fun.

Carolann and Charles were ready to provide.

"It’s okay to grieve, but it’s also okay to be thankful to be alive. It’s okay to feel those things."

"Make them, you know, look at positive things and not just the ugly."

"It’s kind of relieving to see the joy. It’s relieving to see the hugs."

"It’s for the kids. It’s for them to enjoy and get out and try to get stuff out of their system. And it just shows that there are good people out there."

ABC 6 News reporters Emily Pofahl and Rachel MIlls are following Yammy Bear in Uvalde, Texas and will have stories all week on ABC 6 News.