In the wake of a devastating attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve that took the lives of 14 individuals, families are left searching for answers while grappling with their immense loss.
Families of New Orleans Attack Victims Demand Justice and Answers
Families of New Orleans Attack Victims Demand Justice and Answers
Victims' families express their grief and anger after tragic New Year's Eve incident in New Orleans.
Jack Bech, a brother of one of the victims, Martin Bech, fondly known as "Tiger", recounted the heartbreaking phone call made just hours before tragedy struck. Jack was visiting relatives in Dallas while Tiger celebrated in New Orleans, not realizing that this would be their final conversation. Martin Bech, a 28-year-old Princeton graduate and outdoors enthusiast, was killed when 42-year-old army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove his truck into a large crowd on Bourbon Street. Jabbar, who had previously posted pro-Islamic State videos online, was ultimately shot by the police at the scene.
As Jack reminisced over the permanent void left by his brother's absence, he expressed profound sorrow for the close-knit Bech family, now forever altered. "Every holiday, there will be an empty seat at the table," he lamented. Despite the grief, he aims to honor Tiger's memory by encouraging his family to keep fighting for life, stating, "He'd want us to keep attacking life... be there for each other."
Among the other tragic victims was Matthew Tenedorio, a 25-year-old audio-visual technician. He had been at his brother's home prior to venturing into the crowded streets of New Orleans, despite his family's warnings. His cousin, Christina Bounds, described the family’s anguish at not receiving timely information when Tenedorio was shot during the chaotic sequence of events. "There has been no information from doctors or cops. Nobody," she emphasized, adding that this silence has compounded the family's suffering.
The Tenedorio family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to assist with funeral expenses, already strained due to recent medical bills from his mother's cancer treatment. Close relatives remembered Matthew as a cheerful soul with a knack for humor and a love for animals, with one cousin, Zach Colgan, reflecting on the senselessness of the loss.
Colgan voiced hope that voices continue to center on the victims rather than the investigation, concluding, "No-one deserves this." As families seek closure, the grief for their loved ones remains palpable amidst the chaos of the incident, underscoring the need for accountability and compassion in the aftermath.
As Jack reminisced over the permanent void left by his brother's absence, he expressed profound sorrow for the close-knit Bech family, now forever altered. "Every holiday, there will be an empty seat at the table," he lamented. Despite the grief, he aims to honor Tiger's memory by encouraging his family to keep fighting for life, stating, "He'd want us to keep attacking life... be there for each other."
Among the other tragic victims was Matthew Tenedorio, a 25-year-old audio-visual technician. He had been at his brother's home prior to venturing into the crowded streets of New Orleans, despite his family's warnings. His cousin, Christina Bounds, described the family’s anguish at not receiving timely information when Tenedorio was shot during the chaotic sequence of events. "There has been no information from doctors or cops. Nobody," she emphasized, adding that this silence has compounded the family's suffering.
The Tenedorio family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to assist with funeral expenses, already strained due to recent medical bills from his mother's cancer treatment. Close relatives remembered Matthew as a cheerful soul with a knack for humor and a love for animals, with one cousin, Zach Colgan, reflecting on the senselessness of the loss.
Colgan voiced hope that voices continue to center on the victims rather than the investigation, concluding, "No-one deserves this." As families seek closure, the grief for their loved ones remains palpable amidst the chaos of the incident, underscoring the need for accountability and compassion in the aftermath.
