Community holds vigil for Lafayette man killed in Barcelona terrorist attack
EL SOBRANTE, Calif. (KTVU) - The wife and family of the Lafayette man killed during the terrorist attack in Barcelona is receiving support from their community.
Heidi Nunes-Tucker teaches at El Sobrante Christian School.
The principal and other officials held a prayer service Friday night at the church on campus for the teacher and her family.
Faculty, parents and students came to show their support. There is also a GoFundMe page that is accepting donations for Heidi.
The pastor led the audience in song, "Amazing Grace," in the midst of shock and sadness that their beloved teacher lost her husband Jared Tucker in a terrorist attack in Barcelona.
"I'm devastated for her. This is their one year anniversary. She described their relationship to me, how they met and this is the love of her life. I can't put into words how she must be feeling," said Bridget Collins, whose daughter had Heidi as her sixth grade teacher last year.
"I'm scared for her because I don't know what's going to happen next," says 12 year-old Allena Collins, a student of Heidi's.
Students say their sixth grade teacher shared with them the joy she had with her new husband Jared. They were in Barcelona on a delayed honeymoon.
"She showed us her wedding dress, some of the pictures from the wedding. She was happy." says Allena.
Memories of that happiness that Heidi and Jared shared are helping the family cope.
The trip to Europe was the first time Jared had ever been overseas.
He had helped run his father's swimming pool remodeling business.
"I'm just really pleased he had a few days of real happiness before this happened. I'm sure he died happy," says Dan Tucker, Jared's father.
Yet there is no denying the chaos and confusion Jared's death at the hands of a terrorist has caused.
"I just don't understand. It's hard to fathom how this could happen. How anyone would want to do this to innocent people," says Tucker.
"While these horrendous acts of hate occur in our world we can be a Christian community and respond with love, support and concern," says Jeannine Manguiat, the principal of El Sobrante Christian School, as she addressed the audience from the podium.
The hope is that the prayer service will help heal the hurt and pain the family and the community is experiencing.
"You hear about terrorists attacks and you feel compassion for the people that it happened to. But when it's actually someone you know, it hits you like a ton of bricks. It's really unsettling," says Tanya Sturm, the pastor.
Heidi was scheduled to start the first day of school with a new class of 6th graders August 30th.
The principal says she's been in contact with Heidi and it's unclear when she'll be back.
She tells KTVU the school's focus is to help the Nunes-Tucker family in any way it can.