One month anniversary of Mother Emmanuel shooting in Charleston

Charleston, SC (WBTV) - Charleston's Mother Emanuel Church sees constant traffic as tourists routinely ride by in cars, and the curious show up on foot.

One month after the shooting that left nine people dead, there's no shortage of those with grief in their hearts and souls. Flowers and other tokens of appreciation speak to the loss that many feel.

Dwight Townsend was among those outside of the church. He is a city council member from Albermarle, North Carolina. "We need to grow stronger together," Townsend said. "Tomorrow is never promised to us.We take a lot of things for granted, but none would ever imagine any thing like this happening in the house of the Lord."

A memorial can also be found in the lobby of the West Ashley Regional Library. It will soon be renamed after Cynthia Graham Hurd who worked here. She is the sister of for NC State Senator Malcolm Graham.

Rochelle Smith is a library patron who would seek Hurd's help. Smith said, "She was always there for me. It was like I was the only one in the library, and she was just warm and friendly and nice, and you couldn't ask for a better person,"

Just down the block from the church, street vendors are offering T-shirts with the words Charleston Prays. Walter Wilder is one of the operators from the Calhoun Street enterprise, and he says emotions here still run deep.

"Even though it was one month after, it still seems like it was yesterday. I think. It feels like that for the whole city. I know that you have a lot of tourist in and out like that for the city.It's still fresh and it still hurts," Wilder said.

While many continue to drop things off at the church, they're also not leaving empty handed. Visitors take home the lessons carried out by church members which are the lessons of tolerance and forgiveness.

Leigh Marz was in Charleston from San Francisco. "It's deeply moving. I'm touched by how the people of Charleston came together. I think it's an incredible example for all of us," Marz said.

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