New Orleans victim's family visits site of attack, shares his last text: "Happy New Year's. I love you"
NEW ORLEANS — Hand in hand, the family of 21-year-old Hubert Gauthreaux walked down Bourbon Street, escorted by Louisiana State Police to where he died in a terror attack on New Year's Day. There, his sister, Brooke, collapsed in anguish, and even the officers accompanying them wiped away tears.
"The memory of his love and kindness will remain in our hearts forever. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers," Brooke read from a statement on behalf of the family.
She described her baby brother as someone who loved deeply, gave generously, and brought joy to everyone who knew him.
In a social media post, she shared their final text exchange. "Happy New Year's. I love you," he wrote her, just hours before his death.
Hubert's name now appears on a mural taking shape near the site where a man plowed his pickup through a crowd before opening fire on police.
Roberto Marquez, an artist from Dallas, started the memorial, with wooden crosses and a canvas on which to paint a tribute.
"There was a guy who came. He said, 'I want to use one of the brushes,'" said Marquez.
As he shared his material, people began adding their own messages.
"It's becoming part of the whole piece of art," he said.
"I walked by this every day of my life since 1978. Could have been me," said Melvin Jackson, who was on Bourbon Street on New Year's Eve.
He scrawled his own message on the wall, wanting those who wish evil on his community to know they didn't win.
"It made us stronger," he said.
Across the region, the desire to help has prompted hundreds, if not thousands, of people to flood blood drives, leading to long wait times to donate.
"I came yesterday. They told me it was a four-hour wait," said Sean LeBlanc, who returned Friday morning to donate. "I think it's a really good problem to have that you got too many people showing up."
Spirits were high among organizers, touched by the community's response.
"We put the call out and look here they are! It's amazing!" said Mickie Wilson-Martin with The Blood Center.
The high turnout, they say, will help replenish the area's blood supply after local hospitals treated dozens of victims injured in the attack.
"New Orleans, a lot of people view as a big city, but really it's a really big small town. Everybody is two degrees of separation from each other and I think we all know someone affected by this attack," said LeBlanc.
