A Hondo family is remembering 15-year-old Caleb Remmy for the laughter, kindness and joy he brought to the people around him.
He was laid to rest Friday, nearly two weeks after he was shot and killed on Oct. 19. His mother, Emily Remmy, and grandmother, Lori Williams, said they are now left with memories of a boy they believe had so much more life ahead of him.
“Everything good in this world, that’s what Caleb was to me,” Emily Remmy told KSAT during an interview Thursday.
His mother and grandmother described him as funny, outgoing and full of energy. He loved to dance, make people laugh and spend time with his family and friends.
“Caleb was the loudest kid in my home,” Emily Remmy said. “He was small, but he had the biggest heart. You couldn’t get your feelings hurt or be sad without Caleb shedding tears with you.”
His mom said he enjoyed drawing, building Lego sets and playing with his two younger siblings. He also spent time riding bikes with friends, playing basketball and enjoying the things many kids his age loved.
His family said his kindness was just as memorable as his sense of humor.
But now, the family is thinking about the milestones he will never get to experience.
His 16th birthday, first job, graduation, marriage and becoming a parent are among the moments Emily Remmy said she had imagined for her son.
But in the blink of an eye, all of that changed for the family.
Emily Remmy said her son asked to go to a nearby convenience store with friends, something they did together frequently. The store was only a couple of blocks from their home.
She said less than 10 minutes passed before her husband received a call that something had happened. She rushed to a car wash near the convenience store and found her son on the ground.
Emily Remmy, who is a nurse, said she recognized Caleb was in critical condition and tried to save him.
“The last few breaths, I recognized those as a sign that it wasn’t good. He lost his pulse, so I started CPR,” she said.
Hondo police said officers responded around 9:34 p.m. to a shooting near 14th Street and Avenue Q. They found Caleb Remmy with a gunshot wound before he was taken to a local hospital, where he later died.
Through their investigation and witness interviews, police identified and detained a 16-year-old minor from Uvalde. Police said a search warrant led to the recovery of a firearm believed to have been used in the shooting.
The alleged teenage shooter was taken to the Atascosa County Juvenile Detention Center. His identity has not been released because of his age.
Emily Remmy said her son had previous disagreements with one of the children involved. She told KSAT she believed Caleb was being bullied by the alleged shooter’s younger brother.
As she and her family continue to grieve the loss of Caleb, she said they all want justice for him and the person responsible to be held accountable.
They also hope his death serves as a reminder that violence is never the answer and that young people can choose a different path.
For Williams, the reality of losing her grandson is still difficult to accept.
“He’s just a boy. He’s just a boy, and I just didn’t feel like it could be real,” she said.
Caleb Remmy would have turned 16 years old next month — a celebration that his family will have to experience without him. They said they want to honor his life in their own celebration and encourage everyone who knew him to do the same and help keep his memory alive.
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