Nohemi Gonzalez: First US Victim Identified in Parisian Terror Attack a Latina Student from Cal State [Vigil Time, Schedule]
As the names of the victims from Friday’s deadly terror attack in Paris emerge, several of the 129 people killed have been identified as Latinos.
Nohemi Gonzalez, a 23-year-old student from El Monte, California, was the first U.S. citizen reported dead. Gonzalez was eating at a restaurant when she was fatally shot.
"Great girl, one of the best."
According to NBC News, her aunt, Sandra Felt, described her deceased niece as a hardworking young woman who met her goals. "She was a great girl, one of the best," said Felt, "She planned her whole trip to Paris -- always a go-getter, very organized person. She worked to save money for her trip."
Felt voiced her disbelief at the tragedy. "Why a beautiful young lady, who had so much to offer, and her life was going so well for her? How could this happen to her? She was always cautious about everything," she said.
Cal State University Long Beach President Jane Close Conoley released a statement expressing the great sadness felt by the entire university. "Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends during this sad time," she wrote, adding, "Our university stands with our nearly eighty foreign exchange students from France as they struggle with this tragedy."
Family Suffers Loss of Only Daughter
According to ABC7, Beatrice Gonzalez, Nohemi’s mother, said that her family is struggling to deal with the sudden loss. "I feel lost, sadness and she was my only daughter," said the mourning woman, who went on to describe her daughter as a strong young woman who did whatever she set her mind to.
Michael Laforte, a design professor at Long Beach said that Nohemi had been a star in the department. According to the Press Telegram, LaForte said, “She was a shining star, and she brought joy, happiness, laughter to everybody she worked with and her students, her classmates."
Nohemi’s shining personality seems to have been felt everywhere.
Speaking to People, Sofiane Slaoua, an instructor at Sofiane Latinva France, described Nohemi as an optimistic girl who loved life. "She is someone who wanted to learn,” said Slaoua, “A very nice, happy American girl."
Vigil Schedule
Cal State Long Beach will hold a vigil for Nohemi Gonzalez at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
As the Telegraph reports, around half a dozen of the victims of Friday’s attack were Latinos, coming from counties such as Chile, Spain, Portugal and Mexico.
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