NIU Shootings

NIU Victim's Family Remembers Her Through Song

Gayle Dubowski's Family Honors The Talented Musician's Life With An Original Composition

CHICAGO (CBS) ― A new melody is soothing the pain felt by the family of one of the Northern Illinois University shooting victims.

As CBS 2's Vince Gerasole reports, looking back on her short life, Gayle Dubowski is remembered as a young woman with a beautiful voice and a gift for music.

"She's my baby girl cousin and a sister to me," said Dubowksi's cousin, Alisha Balogi.

Gayle's talents seem second nature in a family filled with musicians, and in the wake of the NIU tragedy they've turned to music to cope.

Three of her cousins have come together and written "Hey Love" -- a song in Gayle's honor.

"We went to what we knew best, which is music," Balogi said. "Our whole family has always through good times and bad had music in our lives."

Here in Chicago Alisha Balogi and her brother, George, met in his home studio recording all the music tracks. Their cousin, Christian Ramaker, in Denver wrote the lyrics that speak of Gayle's faith in God. The three mixed it all together the day of Dubowski's wake.

"My belief is music is very healing," Balogi said. "It's the soundtrack of our lives."

The song will be available on iTunes, with the proceeds benefiting Dubowski's favorite charity caring for Russian orphans.

And closer to home the song's words of love are helping her parents heal.

"I'm strong but lots of times I break down and miss her," said her father, Joseph Dubowksi.

"It fills me with love and makes me cry and that's a good thing because for a while I was holding my feelings in," said her mother, Laurel Dubowski.

"We are a very close family and every time we are together it's one step closer to being healed," Balogi said.

Click here to go to the Gayle Dubowski memorial page on MySpace, where you can hear "Hey Love".

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