One-Year Anniversary of Umpqua Community College Shooting

Floor Speech

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Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I join with my friend and colleague, Senator Wyden, to recognize the somber anniversary of the tragedy that struck our home State of Oregon a year ago. On October 1, 2015, the town of Roseburg was changed forever.

Roseburg is a quiet, beautiful, small town, like so many others across our Nation. I spent part of my childhood in Roseburg. I was there as a toddler, in kindergarten and first grade. That is where I learned to swim, in the Umpqua River. It is a place where I find it hard to imagine anything terrible happening.

Community members are so supportive of each other, but something terrible did happen that beautiful autumn day of October 1, when the lives of 9 Oregonians--students and teachers--at Umpqua Community College were tragically cut short by the actions of a crazed gunman.

Nine incredible, innocent people were taken from us in the blink of an eye.

I want to take a moment to share the names of those nine victims and to say a few words about each of them.
There is 19-year-old Lucero Alcaraz, who was a freshman who had graduated from Roseburg High School. She wanted to become a pediatric nurse and to help care for the most vulnerable of our citizens.

Quinn Cooper was a member of the Cow Creek Band of Indians who graduated with Lucero from Roseburg High School. That fateful October day was only his fourth day of college. He loved dancing and voice acting. He loved martial arts and was just a few days away from taking his brown belt test.

Lucas Eibel graduated from Roseburg High School. Lucas was studying chemistry. He loved soccer. He loved animals. He spent his time out of school volunteering at the Wildlife Safari animal park, as well as at a local animal shelter.

There is 20-year-old Treven Anspach. His parents called him the perfect son, who was, in their words, larger than life and brought out the best in those around him. He was a talented athlete who also loved working with the Douglas County Fire District.

Kim Dietz loved the outdoors, her husband Eric, their daughter Shannon, and their two Great Pyrenees dogs. She would carpool with Shannon every morning and worked alongside her husband for many years as a caretaker at the Pyrenees Vineyards in Myrtle Creek.

Jason Johnson. Jason had been facing substantial challenges, as so many others have, but he was proud to have taken control and turned his life around. After completing a 6-month rehab program with the Salvation Army, Jason decided he wanted to go back to school and continue his education. Jason's mother said: ``He finally found his path.

Sarena Moore. Sarena came from my hometown of Myrtle Creek. She was in her third semester at UCC studying business. She was an active member of the Grants Pass Seventh-day Adventist Church and the proud mother of two adult sons.

Lawrence Levine was an English professor at UCC who loved the blues, and he loved fly fishing. He was a quiet, laidback guy who loved teaching, but his true passion lay in writing novels, though tragically his life was cut short before he could publish his work.

Rebecka Ann Carnes. She was my first cousin's great-granddaughter.

She was an 18-year-old graduate of South Umpqua High School. She was an avid hunter and loved four-wheeling.

Rebecka was a beautiful spirit. She was excited for college and excited to get out and explore the world. In a picture she posted online, you can see that she had written on her high school graduation cap, which she was holding in front of her, ``and so the adventure begins.'' She was ready for the adventure of a life to come, but it was an adventure that was cut short in a hail of bullets.

Though the persistence of time may force us to move forward, we must never forget these beautiful members of the community or forget the tragedy that took their lives. Their families, the Roseburg community, the Douglas County community, and the entire State of Oregon continues to mourn their loss.

There is an Irish saying which goes: ``Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.'' Our hearts continue to ache for these nine wonderful individuals who were taken from us far too soon. In the aftermath of this tragedy, the fabric of the Roseburg community and greater Douglas County community has only grown stronger. The community has rallied together through the UCC Strong Fund to support the families of those who died, to give aid to those who survived, to make Umpqua Community College an even greater asset to the community than it was a year ago, and to celebrate the lives of these nine men and women and ensure that their memories continue to live on.

This Saturday, another autumn October 1, the community will come together and walk together to mourn, remember, and support the families of those lost, embrace and help heal those who were injured and those who were traumatized, and continue to rebuild the community. As they come together on Saturday morning, all of Oregon will come together with them by holding them in our thoughts, our hearts, our prayers, and mourning with them. We will be remembering, supporting, embracing them, and partnering with the amazing Umpqua Strong community.

I thank the Presiding Officer.

I yield the floor.

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