SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio mother of a domestic violence victim is creating a foundation in honor of her daughter, who wasn’t as lucky as she was.
“I want San Antonio to remember Willow,” Mariah Gardner, a domestic violence survivor herself, said. “I want San Antonio to remember why Willow died.”
Nearly a year and a half has passed since Gardner and her two young daughters, Rosalie and Willow, were brutally attacked. Willow did not survive.
Gardner’s ex, who is also the father of the girls, is the man charged in connection with the attack.
“That is a price that she should have never had to pay, but I will do everything in my power to honor that sacrifice,” Gardner said. “And I will never forget.”
Gardner announced her new purpose, the Willow Grace Foundation, in time for October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
“In Texas, we aren’t even recognizing most of the aspects of what domestic violence is,” Gardner said.
Gardner explained what verbal abuse and emotional trauma can look like.
“The sustained emotional distress, the patterns of manipulation and coercion that have proven to be key indicators,” Gardner said.
Gardner said her foundation will focus on broadening domestic violence laws, advocating and providing funds for anything that might be needed for a person to leave their abuser.
“We don’t know what a person is going to need in those extremely dangerous moments,” Gardner said. “They’re already trying to survive. They’re trying to fight for their life.”
Gardner said she wants to highlight that just because a crime hasn’t been committed doesn’t mean safety measures can’t be in place.
“Like, in my case, the first act of physical violence was murder,” Gardner said.
She said that community support will play a significant role in growing the Willow Grace Foundation and helping future generations have the necessary resources.
“I love her (Willow) and miss her, and (I would) just remind her that, even though her life was so short, her impact will be so great,” Gardner said.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, there is so much help for you. KSAT has a list of resources on its Domestic Violence webpage, which also explains how to identify different types of abuse.
If it’s an emergency, text or call 911. For wrap-around services including the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter, call Family Violence Prevention Services at (210) 703-8810.
You can also contact the Bexar County Family Justice Center which also provides wrap-around services at (210) 631-0100.