Outside Hartford Distributors in Manchester, workers stood together Wednesday morning, remembering their fallen co-workers, but determined to move forward.
The 200 employees were joined by members of Teamsters and other unions, even employees of other distributors, as they prepared to return to work for the first time since HDI truck driver Omar Thornton gunned down eight co-workers last week.
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"These guys are tough guys and the girls in the office as well for dealing with the tough guys. They'll be able to survive through this," said Allen Discenza, a retired HDI worker who offered to ride along and support the drivers on their first day back.
As they left the facility to make deliveries for the first time in more than a week, the delivery trucks honked their horns and stopped as co-workers came to their windows to give them hugs and handshakes.
One of the first deliveries was to Oxford Liquors in Manchester.
"The driver came. He delivered. He was still nervous, kind of shaky. I asked him what happened. He didn't explain everything, but the way he was explaining to me, it was a very scary moment what he went through," said Oxford Liquors Owner Rash Patel.
At Forest Package Store in Manchester, there are holes in the coolers where Budweiser products normally are. While they are running low, Owner Richard Husbands said customers have been more than understanding.
"They've been very understanding. I haven't had any negative responses," said Husbands.
Husbands expected a delivery by the end of the day Wednesday, but he'll be patient because he knows returning to work can't be easy for HDI workers.
"I'm glad they are going back, but I can understand that maybe some may not want to go back. You have to kind of feel for them," Husbands said.
