Photo: Getty Images, GoFundMe
Matthew McConaughey joined the White House press briefing on Tuesday (June 7) where he delivered a powerful and emotional speech in regards to the deadly shooting that took place in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas, on May 24.
His speech touched on gun reform, mental health, media coverage and keeping schools safe. But it also told the story of a victim whose story captured McConaughey's heart — Maite Rodriguez.
Maite, 10, was one of the 19 children killed at Robb Elementary School last month. She wore a pair of green Converse — her favorite color — the day a gunman entered her classroom. At the press briefing, the Dallas Buyers Club actor's wife, Camila Alves, was sitting nearby, holding the pair of shoes. McConaughey choked up, trying to hold back tears as he shared the significance of these shoes.
"These are the same green Converse, on her feet, that turned out to be the only clear evidence that could identify her after the shooting," McConaughey said. The shoes were marked with a heart drawn in marker over her right toes. "These bodies were very different. They needed extensive restoration. Why? Due to the exceptionally large exit wounds of an AR-15 rifle. Most of the bodies were so mutilated that only DNA tests or green Converse could identify them."
Although Maite was only 10 years old, she seemingly had her life planned out, according to NPR. Her mother, Ana Rodriguez, shared on social media that her daughter dreamed of attending Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi to study marine biology. "She was sweet, charismatic, loving, caring, loyal, free, ambitious, funny, silly, goal driven and best of all my very best friend!" her mother wrote.
You can watch Matthew McConaughey's speech below: