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Jun 15, 2008 2:16 pm US/Central
Father Of NIU Shooting Victim Grieves For Son
WESTCHESTER, Ill. (AP) ―
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Dan Parmenter's funeral was held Feb. 19 in Oak Brook. The 20-year-old was remembered for his kindness and willingness to always help others.
CBS
On his first Father's Day since the shooting death of his son, Gary Parmenter said he's still reminded that grief is the price a person pays for love.
Parmenter's son Dan was one of five students shot to death inside a lecture hall at Northern Illinois University on Valentine's Day.
The 20-year-old sophomore, who was studying finance, died after shielding his girlfriend from bullets sprayed into the crowed by gunman Steve Kazmierczak -- a former NIU graduate student who later committed suicide.
Five months since the shooting spree that injured another 18 people, Gary Parmenter told a suburban Chicago newspaper that he still struggles to cope with his son's death.
"I know he wants me to move forward, but there's a big hole in my life," he told the Daily Herald. "I miss him so much for all the things we would have been doing together. You drive by a tennis court or a golf course, or you see families going on vacation. Your heart stops. The other side of it is, I'm enormously proud of the person he was, and the way he lived -- and the way he died."
The younger Parmenter was known by friends as a "gentle giant" for his massive 6-foot-5 stature and caring demeanor.
"People loved him, and that's the little bit of salvation I can take out of it," Gary Parmenter said. "Although he's gone, I know he's still with us, looking out for us."
The Daily Herald contributed to this report.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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