Edna, TX — Trey Ganem, owner of SoulShine Industries in Edna, TX, is making and donating custom caskets for the 19 students killed in the Uvalde school shooting.

“We don’t just paint caskets here, we represent the lives of the people who have passed,”

—  Trey Ganem

Trey and his son Billy are making the caskets, after speaking with each family to gather details about their childrens, to create unique artwork for each child.

There were so many unique caskets that we did for these families. We did one with a dinosaur holding a flashlight and a pickle. And when the families are telling us, we’re like, ‘Wait did you just tell me of a flashlight, dinosaur and a pickle?’ and they giggle, but for whatever reason, it was very special to them.

“I asked (a mother) if she wanted a unicorn horn coming out of the llama and she started laughing, you know and this is something I was trying to explain to them (his team), when the parents are doing something very special for their loved one, and when they get excited, you can take a little bit of their pain and suffering away, this is what it’s about. It’s not just about painting a casket, it’s about helping those families to start their healing process,”

—  said Ganem

Making so many caskets in a week is not easy, and Ganem had help from friends, including one with a trucking company who had two drivers show up with an 18-wheeler to a casket distributor to pick up and deliver the caskets to Ganem for customization. Trey, his son, his wife, and others who helped with the artwork made this miracle possible.

Ganem is not a stranger to this, as he also donated caskets to the victims of the Sutherland Springs shooting.

Most of the caskets have been delivers, and they’re almost done. This is amazing, to watch people come together in a time like this. Our thanks to all of those involved.

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