An 18-year-old girl dreaming of becoming a nurse, a single mother, a father of two and a former Princeton football star suffered fatal injuries when the driver of a white pickup truck sped down Bourbon Street, packed with holiday revelers early Wednesday morning.
Officials have not yet released the names of the 14 people killed in the New Orleans New Year's Day truck attack, but their families and friends have started sharing their stories.
New Orleans Coroner Dr. Dwight McKenna said in a statement late Wednesday that they will release the names of the dead once autopsies are complete and they've talked with the next of kin. About 30 people were injured.
RELATED STORY | FBI says deadly New Orleans truck attack was an act of terrorism
Kareem Badawi
University of Alabama freshman Kareem Badawi was among those killed in the attack. A native of Louisiana and a graduate of the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, Badawi had started at the Alabama university this fall.
“It is with great sadness and grief, and with hearts satisfied with Allah’s decision and destiny, I announce the death of my son, Karim Bilal Badawi, who died early today in the morning as a result of a tragic accident in New Orleans,” his father, Belal Badawi, posted on Facebook. “We ask Allah Almighty to shower his mercy on him, and give us patience and strength.”
His father had posted in May celebrating his son’s high school graduation and plans to attend the University of Alabama.
The university issued a statement confirming Badawi’s death.
“I grieve alongside family and friends of Kareem in their heartbreaking loss,” University of Alabama President Stuart R. Bell said.
Tiger Bech
A former high school and college football player from Louisiana was among those who died after a driver rammed a pickup truck into a crowd in New Orleans' French Quarter, according to an education official.
Tiger Bech, 27, died late Wednesday morning at a New Orleans hospital, according to local media outlets citing Kim Broussard, the athletic director at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette. Bech attended the high school, where he played wide receiver, quarterback, punt returner and defensive back, NOLA.com reported.
Bech played football at Princeton University before graduating in 2021. Most recently he was working as an investment trader at a New York brokerage firm.
Princeton football coach Bob Surace said Wednesday that he had been texting with Bech's father, sharing memories of the player, who was a school kick returner and receiver from 2017 to 2019. He earned All-Ivy League honors as a returner.
"He might be the first Tiger to ever play for us, and that nickname kind of described him as a competitor," Surace told ESPN. The school's nickname is the Tigers. "He was somebody that somehow, like in the key moments, just excelled and was full of energy, full of life."
Bech has been working at Seaport Global, where company spokesperson Lisa Lieberman could not confirm his death. But she told The Associated Press that "he was extremely well regarded by everybody who knew him."
Bech's younger brother, Jack, is a top wide receiver at Texas Christian University.
In a response to a KLFY-TV report posted on X about Tiger Bech's death, a post from an account for a Jack Bech on the social media site said: "Love you always brother ! You inspired me everyday now you get to be with me in every moment. I got this family T, don't worry. This is for us."
Drew Dauphin
Auburn University has identified one of the victims as Drew Dauphin, who graduated from the school in 2023.
"Words cannot convey the sorrow the Auburn Family feels for Drew's family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time," the university's president, Christopher Roberts, said in a post shared on social media.
Nikyra Dedeaux
Zion Parsons of Gulfport, Mississippi, had been celebrating New Year's Eve at his first night on Bourbon Street when a vehicle appeared and plowed into his friend, 18-year-old Nikyra Dedeaux, who he said had dreamed of becoming a nurse.
"A truck hit the corner and comes barreling through throwing people like in a movie scene, throwing people into the air," Parsons, 18, told The Associated Press. "It hit her and flung her like at least 30 feet and I was just lucky to be alive."
As the crowd scattered in the chaos he ran through a gruesome aftermath of bleeding and maimed victims, hearing gunshots and explosive sounds.
"Bodies, bodies all up and down the street, everybody screaming and hollering" Parsons said. "People crying on the floor, like brain matter all over the ground. It was just insane, like the closest thing to a war zone that I've ever seen."
Dedeaux was a responsible daughter -- shorter than all her siblings but the one who helped take care of everyone, Parsons said. Dedeaux had a job at a hospital and was set to start college and begin working towards her goal of becoming a registered nurse.
"She had her mindset -- she didn't have everything figured out but she had the plan laid down," Parsons said.
Billy DiMaio
According to NOLA.com, the 25-year-old was the oldest of three siblings and grew up in Long Island, New York and New Jersey. He graduated from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia where he was captain of the lacrosse team.
Hubert Gauthreaux
Archbishop Shaw High School, in Marrero, Louisiana, posted on Facebook that class of 2021 alum Hubert Gauthreaux, was among the victims.
Gauthreaux “was tragically killed in the senseless act of violence that occurred early this morning in the French Quarter. He was 21 years old,” the Catholic boys school posted Wednesday evening. “We are asking the entire Archbishop Shaw family to pray for the repose of Hubert’s soul, his family and friends during this difficult time, and all those affected by this tragedy.”
Reggie Hunter
A 37-year-old father of two from Baton Rouge was among the 14 people killed early Wednesday when a pickup truck careened down Bourbon Street in what officials called an act of terror.
Reggie Hunter had just left work and headed to celebrate New Year's with a cousin when the attack happened, his first cousin Shirell Jackson told Nola.com.
Hunter was killed and his cousin was injured, Jackson said.
Terrence "Terry" Kennedy
Kennedy's family reportedly learned he was one of the victims through the coroner's office after they couldn't get in touch with him, according to NOLA.com.
The local news outlet said he grew up in New Orleans, graduated from Walter Cohen High School and enjoyed NFL football. His favorite team was the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Nicole Perez
Nicole Perez was a single mother to a 4-year-old son working hard to make life better for her family when she was killed in the New Orleans truck attack, according to her employer.
Perez, who was in her late 20s, was recently promoted to manager at Kimmy's Deli in Metarie, Louisiana and "was really excited about it," deli owner Kimberly Usher said in a phone interview with AP. Usher confirmed Perez's death through her sister, who also works for her.
Usher said Perez would walk in the morning to the deli, which opened at breakfast time, and would ask lots of questions about the business side of the operations. She also was permitted to bring her son, Melo, to work, where during breaks she taught him basic learning skills.
"She was a really good mom," said Usher, who started a GoFundMe account to cover Perez's burial costs and to help with expenses for her son that "he will need to transition into a new living situation," the donation request says.
Matthew Tenedorio
The parents of Matthew Tenedorio told NBC News that their son was one of the people killed in the attack.
“He was 25 years old. He was just starting life. He had the job of his dreams,” Cathy Tenedorio said. “It’s just very sad.”
A GoFundMe page created by a cousin says he was an audiovisual technician at the Superdome.
“He was a wonderful kid,” Louis Tenedorio added. “He loved people. He loved animals. He always had a smile. So many friends. He had so many friends.”
Cathy Tenedorio said she had spent New Year’s Eve with Matthew and another one of her sons.
“We had dinner and we did fireworks outside, and just laughing and hugging each other and telling each other we loved each other,” she said. She added that they had tried to dissuade him from going into the city.
“They don’t think about risk,” she said.
