Family gathers to remember spa shooting victim Delaina Gonzalez
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WOODSTOCK, Georgia (WGCL) — More than a week after a gunman killed eight people in three metro-Atlanta spas, family and friends gathered Wednesday to remember one of those victims.
Those gathered remembered Delaina Gonzalez in Woodstock. Her funeral comes eleven years after family members said they baptized Delaina at the His Hands Church. Her family and friends showed up with heavy hearts, tears, and fond memories of Delaina, but they were still in disbelief that her life was taken this soon. Family said even though she’s gone, her memory will never be forgotten.
“Tonight we’ve lost a very special person, someone who brought life and radiated laughter and light to the room, she was just such an awesome human being. She would give the shirt off her back,” Delaina’s cousin, Josh McTouirk said.
Other family members said she was a loving sister.
“She wanted everyone to know that she loved her family, family was always first,” Delaina’s sister, Dana Toole said.
McTouirk said Delaina also had a one of a kind and forgiving heart, saying, “She was the type of person that would forgive the person who shot her.”
After saying their final goodbyes, family and friends led a procession right past the Young’s Asian Massage Parlor with heavy hearts.
“She walked in there, and never walked out,” her sister added.
Delaina was at the spa with her husband Mario, when police said Robert Long opened fire, taking Delaina’s life and three others who were there that day. Detectives said he then headed to Atlanta and took four more lives at two other spas. It’s a tragedy that Delaina’s loved ones said tested the strength of their family, but has now made them closer as one unit.
”I know there is nothing that I could probably say, or even want to say to the man that did it, because it won’t bring my sister back,” Dana said. “But I just pray as a family and to my friends, that the support that we’ve had we can get through this together.”
The devoted mother now leaves behind her 8-month-old baby Mia, her husband Mario and their 13-year-old son Maison.
“Hug your loved ones tight tonight, because you never know when your cards going to be pulled,” McTouirk said.
Family members said that because of everyone support they were able to give Delaina the funeral she deserves.
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