Remembering the victims of the New Orleans attack : NPR

An 18-year-old lady dreaming of turning into a nurse, a single mom, a father of two and a former Princeton soccer star had been killed when the driving force of a white pickup truck sped down Bourbon Street, filled with vacation revelers.

Officers haven’t but launched the names of the 14 individuals killed within the New Orleans New Year’s Day truck attack, however their households and pals have began sharing their tales.

New Orleans Coroner Dr. Dwight McKenna stated in a press release late Wednesday that the names of the useless can be launched as soon as autopsies are full and so they’ve talked with the subsequent of kin. A spokesperson for the coroner stated Thursday that there have been no updates. About 30 individuals had been injured.

Billy DiMaio

Billy DiMaio, 25, was humble and gentled-hearted, so dedicated to household that he had a tattoo that includes all of his cousins’ names, his dad and mom instructed NOLA.com.

A New York Metropolis-based account govt for the media firm Audacy, DiMaio was in New Orleans to rejoice New Yr’s Eve and see pals who deliberate to go to the Sugar Bowl, Tracie and Invoice DiMaio, of Holmdel, New Jersey, instructed the information website. His pals escaped harm.

“He was a superb, humble child,” Invoice DiMaio stated. “He liked life.”

Billy DiMaio grew up on Lengthy Island, New York, earlier than the household moved to New Jersey. He graduated in 2022 from Chestnut Hill Faculty in Philadelphia, the place he was on the lacrosse group and earned a grasp’s diploma.

“He was a pure, gentle-hearted soul,” his mom stated. “He can be actually missed.”

He had labored for Audacy since 2023.

“Past his skilled achievements, Billy can be fondly remembered for his unwavering work ethic, constructive angle, and kindness,” Audacy stated in an emailed assertion. “He was a real asset to the Audacy group, and his contributions and presence can be deeply missed.”

Hubert Gauthreaux

Archbishop Shaw Excessive Faculty, in Marrero, Louisiana, posted on Fb that class of 2021 alum Hubert Gauthreaux, was among the many victims.

Gauthreaux “was tragically killed within the mindless act of violence that occurred early this morning within the French Quarter. He was 21 years previous,” the Catholic boys faculty posted Wednesday night. “We’re asking the complete Archbishop Shaw household to wish for the repose of Hubert’s soul, his household and pals throughout this troublesome time, and all these affected by this tragedy.”

Kareem Badawi

College of Alabama freshman Kareem Badawi was amongst these killed within the assault. A local of Louisiana and a graduate of the Episcopal Faculty of Baton Rouge, Badawi had began on the Alabama college this fall.

Again residence in Baton Rouge for winter break, Badawi had gone to New Orleans with pals to rejoice the brand new 12 months, his father, Belal Badawi stated in an interview.

“He’s a stunning boy. I misplaced my son. He is a superb boy,” he stated of his son. “Sadly, his life ended that fast and with no motive. Simply nothing he did to deserve for anyone to come back and kill him.”

Belal Badawi had posted in Might celebrating his son’s highschool commencement and plans to attend the College of Alabama.

The college issued a press release confirming the freshman’s demise.

“I grieve alongside household and pals of Kareem of their heartbreaking loss,” College of Alabama President Stuart R. Bell stated.

Drew Dauphin

Christopher B. Roberts, president of Auburn College in Auburn, Alabama, stated on the social platform X that 2023 graduate Drew Dauphin died within the assault.

“Phrases can not convey the sorrow the Auburn Household feels for Drew’s household and pals throughout this unimaginably troublesome time,” Roberts stated. “Our ideas are with the Dauphin household and the households of all of the victims of this mindless tragedy.”

Dauphin was a provider course of engineer on the American Honda Motor Firm in Birmingham, Alabama, in keeping with his LinkedIn profile.

Matthew Tenedorio

The dad and mom of Matthew Tenedorio instructed NBC Information that their son was one of many individuals killed within the assault.

“He was 25 years previous. He was simply beginning life. He had the job of his desires,” Cathy Tenedorio stated. “It is simply very unhappy.”

A GoFundMe web page created by a cousin says he was an audiovisual technician on the Superdome.

“He was an exquisite child,” Louis Tenedorio added. “He liked individuals. He liked animals. He all the time had a smile. So many pals. He had so many pals.”

Cathy Tenedorio stated she had spent New Yr’s Eve with Matthew and one other certainly one of her sons.

“We had dinner and we did fireworks outdoors, and simply laughing and hugging one another and telling one another we liked one another,” she stated. She added that they’d tried to dissuade him from going into the town.

“They do not take into consideration threat,” she stated.

Nikyra Dedeaux

Zion Parsons, of Gulfport, Mississippi, had been celebrating New Yr’s Eve at his first evening on Bourbon Avenue when a automobile appeared and plowed into his pal, 18-year-old Nikyra Dedeaux, who he stated had dreamed of turning into a nurse.

“A truck hit the nook and comes barreling by means of throwing individuals like in a film scene, throwing individuals into the air,” Parsons instructed The Related Press. “It hit her and flung her like no less than 30 ft and I used to be simply fortunate to be alive.”

As the gang scattered within the chaos he ran by means of a ugly aftermath of bleeding and maimed victims, listening to gunshots and explosive sounds.

“Our bodies, our bodies all up and down the road, all people screaming and hollering” Parsons stated. “Individuals crying on the ground, like mind matter all around the floor. It was simply insane, just like the closest factor to a conflict zone that I’ve ever seen.”

Dedeaux was a accountable daughter who helped maintain her siblings, Parsons stated. Dedeaux had a job at a hospital and was set to start out faculty and start working in direction of her objective of turning into a registered nurse.

“She had her mindset — she did not have all the pieces found out however she had the plan laid down,” Parsons stated.

Reggie Hunter

A 37-year-old father of two from Baton Rouge, Reggie Hunter had simply left work and headed to rejoice New Yr’s with a cousin when the assault occurred, his first cousin Shirell Jackson told Nola.com.

Hunter died and his cousin was injured, Jackson stated.

Tiger Bech

A former highschool and faculty soccer participant from Louisiana was amongst those that died, in keeping with an training official.

Tiger Bech, 27, died Wednesday morning at a New Orleans hospital, in keeping with native media retailers citing Kim Broussard, the athletic director at St. Thomas Extra Catholic Excessive Faculty in Lafayette. Bech attended the highschool, the place he performed large receiver, quarterback, punt returner and defensive again, NOLA.com reported.

Bech performed soccer at Princeton College earlier than graduating in 2021. Most just lately he was working as an funding dealer at a New York brokerage agency.

Marty Cannon, STM principal and former coach of Bech, stated he was charismatic, clever and an extremely proficient soccer participant. He often returned residence to go to his tight-knit household, shut pals and folks on the faculty. He was residence over Christmas.

“We reside in a comparatively small neighborhood right here the place not lots of people go away however many do,” Cannon stated. “I am not shocked in any respect that Tiger may take off from south Louisiana and go off and get an incredible training at a spot like Princeton after which lock himself right into a neighborhood up there and simply flourish. He is that form of man.”

Princeton soccer coach Bob Surace stated Wednesday that he had been texting with Bech’s father, sharing recollections of the participant, who was a college kick returner and receiver from 2017 to 2019. He earned All-Ivy League honors as a returner.

“He could be the primary Tiger to ever play for us, and that nickname form of described him as a competitor,” Surace instructed ESPN. The varsity’s mascot is the tiger. “He was anyone that by some means, like in the important thing moments, simply excelled and was stuffed with vitality, energetic.”

Bech has been working at Seaport World, the place firm spokesperson Lisa Lieberman couldn’t verify his demise. She instructed the AP, “He was extraordinarily effectively regarded by all people who knew him.”

Bech’s youthful brother, Jack, is a high large receiver at Texas Christian College.

In a response to a KLFY-TV report posted on X about Tiger Bech’s demise, a publish from an account for a Jack Bech on the social media website stated: “Love you all the time brother ! You impressed me on a regular basis now you get to be with me in each second. I acquired this household T, don’t fret. That is for us.”

Nicole Perez

Nicole Perez was a single mom to a 4-year-old son working exhausting to make life higher for her household when she was killed, in keeping with her employer.

Perez, who was in her late 20s, was just lately promoted to supervisor at Kimmy’s Deli in Metairie, Louisiana, and “was actually enthusiastic about it,” deli proprietor Kimberly Usher stated in a telephone interview with the AP. Usher confirmed Perez’s demise by means of her sister, who additionally works for her.

Usher stated Perez would stroll within the morning to the deli, which opened at breakfast time, and ask a lot of questions in regards to the enterprise facet of the operations. She additionally was permitted to convey her son, Melo, to work.

“She was a very good mother,” stated Usher, who began a GoFundMe account to cowl Perez’s burial prices and to assist with bills for her son that “he might want to transition into a brand new residing scenario,” the donation request says.

Injured within the Assault

— Heaven Sensky-Kirsch stated her father, Jeremi Sensky, endured 10 hours of surgical procedure for accidents that included two damaged legs. He was taken off a ventilator Thursday.

Jeremi Sensky was ejected from the wheelchair he was utilizing and had bruises to his face and head, Sensky-Kirsch stated in a telephone interview from a hospital intensive care unit.

“He is speaking proper now,” Sensky-Kirsch stated late Thursday morning.

Sensky, 51, who works within the household’s tree service enterprise, had pushed from his residence in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, to New Orleans to rejoice the vacation.

Earlier than the assault, Sensky and the 2 pals had been having pizza, his daughter stated. Sensky left them to return to his resort on Canal Avenue as a result of he felt chilly, she stated.

Sensky-Kirsch stated others may see the attacker coming and had been capable of run out of the best way, however her father “was caught on the highway.” His wheelchair could be seen in some photos lodged towards a crane.

When he did not return to the resort, they went to search for him, she stated.

“We thought he was useless,” Sensky-Kirsch stated. “We will not imagine he is alive.”

— Ryan Quigley, who was a teammate of Bech’s at Princeton, was with him once they had been struck by the truck. Quigley was injured, in keeping with household and pals.

“Ryan is doing okay. He’s secure and resting within the firm of his household and pals,” the Quigleys stated in an replace on a GoFundMe web page arrange by his pals. “Ryan loves you all. Please maintain the Bech household, the opposite households, and all of these affected by this tragedy in your prayers. Thanks all.”

— College of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead stated on X {that a} scholar was critically injured within the assault and is receiving medical therapy. He didn’t title the scholar.

— The Israeli Ministry of International Affairs stated on X that two Israeli residents had been injured within the assault.

— College of Mississippi Chancellor Glenn Boyce stated Thursday that one of many college’s college students was critically injured in New Orleans. Boyce didn’t establish the scholar.