‘I WON’T SEE YOU TOMORROW, OR NEXT WEEK, OR NEXT MONTH’
SCOTT BEIGEL
The 35-year-old geography teacher was killed after he helped students enter a locked classroom. Student Kelsey Friend told Good Morning America that when she heard gunshots and realized it wasn’t a drill, she followed other students toward the classroom. Beigel “unlocked the door and let us in,” she said. “I thought he was behind me, but he wasn’t. When he opened the door he had to relock it so we could stay safe, but he didn’t get a chance to.” She added, “If the shooter would have come into the room, I probably wouldn’t be speaking to you now.” Student Bruna Oliveda said she saw Beigel blocking the door.
AARON FEIS
Feis, 37, an assistant football coach and security guard, died while selflessly shielding students. As gunshots rang out, a call on the school’s security radio asked if the loud sounds were firecrackers. Feis responded: “No, that is not firecrackers.” It was the last anyone heard from him. It later emerged that as others fled the gunman, Feis had put himself in harm’s way, using his own body to shield his students. Denise Lehtio, a spokesman for the school’s football program, said, “He died the same way he lived — he put himself second. He was a very kind soul, a very nice man. He died a hero.” Julien Decoste, a student, told NBC, “He shielded two kids from being shot. He took the bullets himself. As I was being escorted out of the building, I had to step over him. Right then and there ... I knew: He had to have been dead or injured.”
CHRIS HIXON
When the school needed someone to patrol the campus and monitor threats as a security specialist, Hixon, 49, also a wrestling coach, took the job. It was in that security role that Hixon, who served in the military in Iraq, apparently came within range of the shooter.
MEADOW POLLACK
The parents of Meadow Pollack, an 18-year-old senior, called her phone repeatedly only to hear it ring, as they kept an anxious vigil outside a hospital. Family friend Adam Schachtel said in a Facebook post that “an angel was taken away from us in that horrific tragedy ... no words can be said so just prayers and sadness.”
JAIME GUTTENBERG
“My heart is broken,” wrote Fred Guttenberg on Facebook about his 14-year-old daughter. Her aunt Abbie Youkilis said she “was a pretty girl with the world’s best smile and her soul was sensitive and compassionate.” Youkilis called for guncontrol legislation, saying Jaime’s parents “could not protect Jaime from the sickness that has gripped our country.”
JOAQUIN OLIVER
Tyra Hemans, 19, said she last saw her 17-year-old friend at school the day of the shooting. “It was just a brief ‘Happy Valentines.’ He was with his girlfriend and I was just like, ‘Oh my God, you guys are so cute’," she said
NICHOLAS DWORET
Nicholas, 17, a senior, was a competitive swimmer who planned to attend Indiana University in the fall. He had waved goodbye to a classmate shortly before he was gunned down. Alex Greenwald, his friend, said: “‘See you tomorrow’, you said as you walked out. But I won’t see you tomorrow, or next week, or next month.”
ALYSSA ALHADEEF
Parkland Soccer Club posted on its Facebook page that Alyssa, 15, was a “loved and well respected member of our club and community.” The club said, “To Alyssa’s Friends honour Alyssa by doing something fabulous in your life. Don’t ever give up and inspire for greatness. Live for Alyssa! Be her voice and breathe for her. Alyssa loved you all forever!”
ALAINA PETTY
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Alaina, 14, was a member. Great-aunt Claudette McMahon Joshi said on Facebook, “There are no hashtags for moments like this, only sadness.”
LUKE HOYER
Luke, 15, loved basketball and was also looking forward to joining the football team. “He done growed like a weed over the summer,” said his grandmother, Janice Stroud, who last saw her grandson over Christmas. The once-little boy was now about 6-foot-2 and spent the time at his grandparents’ house in South Carolina playing basketball in their yard. “He was just an all-American kid who didn’t deserve what he got,” grandfather John Stroud said through tears.
CARA LOUGHRAN
Cara was a freshman at Douglas High School. Her mother, Denise, was reunited with her 17-year-old son, Liam, within hours of the shooting, but they did not hear about Cara until the early hours of the following morning.
GINA MONTALTO
Gina, 14, was a strong and loving girl who “brightened any room she entered,” her family wrote in a post shared on social media.
CARMEN SCHENTRUP
Cousin Matt Brandow wrote on Facebook, “Rest In Peace Carmen, you were the smartest and most (intelligent) 16 year old I’ve ever met! You will be remembered forever.”
ALEX SCHACHTER
Alex, 14, played trombone in a marching band. His father, Max, said his older brother survived the shooting. Alex “just wanted to do well and make his parents happy,” his father said.
MARTIN DUQUE
Older brother Miguel wrote of Martin, 14, “Words can not describe my pain. I love brother Martin you’ll be missed buddy.”
PETER WANG
Aaron Chen, a cousin of Peter, 15, told First Coast News, “He wasn’t supposed to die. He was supposed to grow old with me.”
HELENA RAMSEY
A family member wrote on Facebook that Helena was “a smart, kind hearted, and thoughtful person.” The post added, “her soft warm demeanor brought the best out in all who knew her.”