“Take heart; you matter, you are seen, you are loved, and you are not alone,”- Tom Ballard
by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian
The “Heartrock Guy” Tom Ballard is coming back to Uvalde this Sunday, September 24th visiting local churches and September 25th from 10 AM to 6 PM at El Progreso Memorial Library to bring polished hearts of stones made to hold in the palm of one’s hand or keep in one’s pocket. The stones are offered free of charge.
El Progreso Memorial Library Director, Mendell Morgan wrote, “The Heartrock Guy” is coming back to Uvalde. Tom Ballard of Utah made quite an impression last year when he came to Uvalde with many heartshaped rocks he gave as a gift of love and support.
These are stones he gathered, shaped and hand polished to represent love which he shared with our community. He has not forgotten us and plans to return Sunday, September 24th with 2,000 more.
He will attempt to visit as many churches as possible when services begin or end to offer heartshaped rocks with parishoners.
He plans to be at El Progreso Memorial Library for most of the day Monday the 25th between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. for those who would like to come by to receive one as his gift.”
Why Heart Rocks?
Ballard’s website has the following statement about Take Heart Rocks
“In early 2019, as an emergency substitute teacher on a reservation in Washington, my heart broke for my students. Many of them lost family members to suicide. Many grieved for months and I didn’t know how to help them.
I began giving them naturally-shaped heart rocks I found on the beach. I would tell them something like, ‘I hope every time you see your heart rock it reminds you that you matter, you are loved, and seen, and you are never alone.’
When I couldn’t 
