One was a man who died shielding his wife from gunfire on their wedding anniversary. Another was a city of Las Vegas employee who died in his boyfriend’s arms. And two others were a veteran corrections officer and his girlfriend who died on the trip they had planned for weeks.

At least 58 people were killed and nearly 500 others were injured Sunday night, authorities say, when a gunman fired on an outdoor country musical festival from the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel in the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.

Here are some of their stories.

Brett Schwanbeck

Brett Schwanbeck, 61, attended the music festival with his fiancée, Anna Orozco, who survived and later told his family he had been fatally shot, according to his niece, Carla Van Hoosen.

“Brett was a great man that was funny, generous, kind, loving and so full of joy,” Van Hoosen wrote on a GoFundMe page she started for his family’s expenses.

“He would drive 500 miles to help you if you needed it. He loved his family dearly and cherished lake trips, family gatherings, hunting, camping and spending time with his kids and grandkids.”

The Bullhead City, Arizona, resident died from his injuries Tuesday at Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center in Las Vegas. He is survived by five siblings, three children and five grandchildren.

https://www.gofundme.com/in-memory-of-brett-schwanbeck

Keri Galvan

Keri Lynn Galvan, 31, lived in Thousand Oaks, California. The mother of three was a server at Mastro’s Steakhouse.

“Her days started and ended with doing everything in her power to be a wonderful mother,” her sister Lindsey Poole wrote on a GoFundMe page created for the family. “She was senselessly murdered on October 1st, 2017 while enjoying a night out with her husband and friends.”

Tilman Fertitta, chairman and CEO of Landry’s Inc., Mastro’s parent company, said the company is deeply saddened by Galvan’s death.

“Keri was with our Mastro’s family for almost 10 years and was a valued member of our team,” Fertitta said. “Our condolences go out to her family and all those who knew and cared for Keri. We are raising funds internally to help support her family during this difficult time.”

https://www.gofundme.com/kerilynngalvan

Brian Fraser

Brian Fraser, 39, was a resident of  La Palma.

Jason Aldean, the last act of the last day of Route 91 Harvest, was Fraser’s favorite country singer. The 39-year-old father of four attended the festival with a group of 20 people that included his wife and children. His oldest son, Nick Arellano, described him as “the most involved parent.” He coached his children’s football and baseball teams and was involved in the parents’ association. Arellano was 11 when Fraser married his mother and adopted him, and the couple had three more children, who are now ages 17, 10 and 4.

“He took care of me… He took care of all (of) us,” Arellano said. “Every person he was in contact with saw his love and compassion and honesty.”

Fraser moved closer to the stage for his favorite Aldean song, “Dirt Road Anthem.” The song was playing as the gunshots began. Fraser’s wife was with him when he was hit, Arellano said. A friend performed CPR on Fraser and loaded him into a wheel barrow to seek medical attention. Doctors and nurses did everything they could, but Fraser died of his injuries. “We don’t know who they are but we want to thank them,” Arellano said.

Fraser was vice president of sales at Greenpath Funding. The company released a statement after his death: “Brian Fraser impacted everyone who crossed his path with his infectious positive energy, his tenacious will to succeed, and his willingness to help others.

“Our hearts are broken, and the Greenpath family will never forget you, Brian.”

https://www.gofundme.com/brian-fraser-memorial-fund\

Thomas Day Jr.

Thomas Day Jr., 54, of Riverside, California, was with his four children at the festival when he was shot dead, according to Bruce Abbey, a vice president of a California construction company where Day worked.

His daughter Whitney Day wrote the following about her father:

“My sisters Candice and Kelsey and brother Nolan and I just want to say that he was our rock, he was our everything. Anyone he came across he put a smile on their face. All our friends would call him Daddy Day because he treated everyone like one of his own and it was an honor to us all to be able to share our dad with the world.”

Day was an estimator at Portrait Construction in Corona, California, and had been at the company for more than 20 years, Abbey said.

Christiana Duarte

Christiana Duarte of Torrance had recently started working for the Los Angeles Kings after graduating from the University of Arizona in May with a degree in mass communications. The NHL team put out a call for information about her Sunday night.

Her alma mater confirmed her death. The school said it is reaching out to those who knew her, including her Sigma Kappa sorority sisters.

“All of us in the University of Arizona community are saddened that Christiana Duarte, one of our graduates from this past May, is among the victims from Las Vegas on Sunday night,” President Robert C. Robbins said in a statement. “This attack is a terrible tragedy for hundreds of families, and it is a shocking and horrific event for all of us. I know I speak for the UA community in expressing our deepest condolences to Christiana’s family and in asking for their privacy to be respected.”

https://www.gofundme.com/christina-duarte-memorial

Dana Gardner

Dana Gardner of Grand Terrace, California, was the deputy recorder of the San Bernardino County assessor-recorder-clerk’s office.

“We are devastated and still in shock trying to comprehend what happened last (Sunday) night,” her daughter Kayla Gardner posted to Facebook on Monday. “My family and I appreciate the outpouring of love and support and ask for prayers at this time.”

Dana Gardner was a county employee for more than two decades and was known for her “can-do” attitude and vibrant energy, said Bob Dutton, San Bernardino County’s assessor-recorder-clerk.

“Dana will be dearly missed by family, friends, and co-workers. San Bernardino County mourns her loss. We offer our deepest condolences to Dana’s loved ones and to all those impacted by this horrific event,” Dutton said.

https://www.gofundme.com/az5nc3xc

Steve Berger

Steve Berger of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, was killed in Sunday’s attack, his father told CNN affiliate WTMJ.

Berger, a financial adviser, was celebrating his 44th birthday with friends in Las Vegas, the TV station reported.

Carly Kreibaum

Carly Kreibaum’s passion for art lives on in a Sutherland, Iowa, flower shop, where she painted flowers on the storefront. Florist Bonnie Wallinga, owner of The Menagerie, told CNN affiliate KTIV that the married mother of two didn’t have a mean bone in her body.

Kreibaum’s sister-in-law confirmed that she was among the victims of the mass shooting.

Brennan Lee Stewart

Las Vegas native Brennan Lee Stewart shielded his girlfriend and helped others to safety before he was shot dead, his family said in a statement.

“Brennan was the kind of guy who always put others before himself, including up to the moment he lost his life,” the statement said.

Stewart loved country music, played the guitar and wrote music, his family said.

Last year he posted to Facebook his cover of the Cole Swindell song “You Should Be Here.” As of Wednesday, the post received more than 134,000 views and more than 1,170 shares.

“His love for country music was shown through the songs that he wrote, and the music he played on his guitar. Brennan rarely missed an opportunity to attend a country concert,” his family said.

Cameron Robinson

Cameron Robinson lived in southwestern Utah but commuted to Las Vegas, where he worked as a legal records specialist, said his sister, Meghan Ervin.

He was at the concert with his boyfriend, Ervin told CNN affiliate KUTV.

Dorene Anderson

Dorene Anderson, 49, of Alaska, was at the concert with her daughters, CNN affiliate KTUU in Anchorage reported.

The Alaska Housing Finance Corp., which employs her husband, John, confirmed her death.

Dorene Anderson’s family released this statement through the employer:

“Due to this horrific and terrible situation, our family is dealing with a great loss. She (Dorene) was the most amazing wife, mother and person this world ever had. We are so grateful and lucky for the time that we did have with her. We are greatly appreciative and want to thank everyone for the thoughts and prayers you have been sending us. We are dealing with the situation as a family, and would appreciate our privacy as we grieve for our loss.”

Lisa Patterson

Lisa Patterson, from Los Angeles’ San Pedro community, was a mother of three. She was attending the concert with four friends.

Patterson was active in church, helped coach in a girl’s softball league and was devoted to her family, said her husband, Robert Patterson.

After hearing about the shooting, he drove to Las Vegas with his son and eldest daughter on Monday morning but couldn’t immediately find out what happened to his wife.

A coroner called him Monday evening to tell him she’d passed away. He returned to Los Angeles, where he broke the news of her death to their youngest daughter, who’s 8.

“She was such an amazing person. She cared for so many people,” her eldest daughter, Amber Patterson, told CNN. “She was so enthusiastic. She was literally the best mom, and she was my best friend.”

Amber said she appreciated hearing people’s fond memories of her mother.

“When I got my belly button pierced and her going with me … that kind of stuff really is what makes me think of her and makes me happy to remember her,” she said.

https://www.gofundme.com/afhuv-lisa-patterson-memorial-fund

Bill Wolfe Jr.

Bill Wolfe Jr. was a youth wrestling coach in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.

“It is with the most of broken hearts, the families of Bill Wolfe Jr. and his wife, Robyn, share that Bill has been confirmed to be among the deceased as a result of the mass attack in Las Vegas,” the Shippensburg Police Department said on Facebook.

Carl Bert, owner of a surveying and engineering firm, told CNN affiliate WPVI that Wolfe had once worked for him as an engineer. Bert described him as personable, fun, easy to work with and a devoted Christian, WPVI reported.

Jordyn Rivera

Jordyn Rivera, 21, was in her fourth year at California State University, San Bernardino. The university released a statement confirming her death.

“It is with the utmost sadness I must report that a member of our campus community is among the victims,” university president Tomás Morales said.

Rivera was warm, optimistic and kind, he said.

Katie Ortega, who has known her for years, said they played softball together as kids.

Rivera “was and always will be a role model to many,” Ortega said. “She would always make it a point to make every single individual feel special, always laughing at my stupid jokes.”

She was passionate about softball.

“That softball diamond was her heaven,” Ortega said.

https://www.gofundme.com/funeral-costs-for-jordyn-rivera

Heather Warino Alvarado

Heather Alvarado, 35, was a mother of three and married to Albert Alvarado, a firefighter in Cedar City, Utah. The couple loved traveling with their three children.

“She always saw the good in others. She spent her whole life serving others in her family and community,” the Cedar City Fire Department said in a Facebook post.

“She was happiest when she was together with her family, especially her children and she would do anything for them.”

“They appreciate your many words of kindness and concern,” the post said.

Candice Bowers

Candice Bowers was a single mother of three. Her family described her as a superhero who loved country music.

“It was a gift that she was able to spend her final moments doing what she loved with those she loved even more,” her family said.

“Her strength, fierce loyalty and memory will live on through their lives and those of her family and friends who loved her so dearly.

Her children included a recently adopted 2-year-old, her family said in a statement.

https://www.gofundme.com/candice-bowers-family

Adrian Murfitt

Adrian Murfitt, 35, was a commercial fisherman from Alaska.

Murfitt had surprised his friend with a weekend boys trip to Las Vegas when the shooting happened. His friend, Brian MacKinnon,held him in his lap as he passed away from gunshot wounds.

His mother, Avonna Murfitt, told CNN that her son was jolly and caring.
ʺEvery one of his friends was his ‘best friend,’ʺ she said. ʺHe will be missed by all who knew him, and most of all by me.ʺ

The outpouring of love has been amazing, her mother said.

“We are humbled by the way everyone who knew him has offered assistance to help in bringing him home and celebrating his life,” Avonna Murfitt says.

Denise Cohen

Denise Cohen, 57, was a property manager who lived in Carpinteria for the past 10 years. She had two children and her son said she radiated positive energy.

She went to the festival to celebrate the 56th birthday of her companion, Derrick “Bo” Taylor, who also died in the shooting.

The couple had been planning the trip for weeks, her friend Leana Orsua told CNN affiliate KEYT. Cohen planned to volunteer at the California Avocado Festival the following weekend, after she returned home.

“She was more than just a friend to me, she was like a sister or a family member,” said Orsua. “She was a very active, social person. She touched so many lives. She was a super positive, genuine, kind-hearted individual.”

Orsua said Cohen and Taylor met at a social gathering and quickly became friends, then roommates. Orsua shared a text message with KETY from Cohen’s son, Jeff Rees, remembering his mother.

“Our mother was such a strong, beautiful and happy woman who made a difference to the lives of everyone she knew,” he wrote. “She was such a happy person and enjoyed doing the things in life that she loved. We can see by the last photo of her that she was indeed happy and with a person that loves her, Bo.”

Derrick “Bo” Taylor

Derrick “Bo” Taylor, 56, a veteran with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, was killed in the shooting. Taylor joined the department about 30 years ago, rising to the rank of lieutenant.

He worked at the Ventura Conservation Camp, which houses up to 110 adult male inmates. The camp helps train inmates to become regional firefighters.

He attended the concert with his girlfriend, Denise Cohen.

Taylor’s loss will be felt deeply, Warden Joel Martinez wrote in a memo to staff, according to a department newsletter posted online.

“There are no words to express the feeling of loss and sadness regarding Bo’s passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends,” Martinez wrote.

In the comments section of the notice about Taylor’s death, people praised him as a good coworker and friend. “Bo was a great man, as a supervisor he set the bar so high that no one will ever be able to touch it,” one comment read.

Kelsey Meadows

Kelsey Meadows, a 28-year-old California substitute teacher, died in the mass shooting, according to her family and the Taft Union High School District, where she worked.

Meadows graduated from Taft Union High School in 2007 and later earned a bachelor’s degree from Fresno State University. She returned to the Taft community, where she had worked as a regular substitute teacher with the district since 2012, the district said in a statement.

Taft Union High School Principal Mary Alice Finn said Meadows was “smart, compassionate and kind.”

“She had a sweet spirit and a love for children,” Finn said. “Words cannot adequately capture the sorrow felt by her students, colleagues and friends in learning of her passing.”

Meadows’ family posted a Facebook message asking people to please “keep my family in your thoughts and prayers as we try and move past this horrible time.”

John Phippen

John Phippen, a 56-year-old father of six, was fatally shot while shielding a woman from the gunfire, Phippen’s neighbor said.

Phippen was hit after his son stopped to help someone else, said Leah Nagyivanyi, Phippen’s neighbor and close friend for 17 years. His son was wounded in the arm, she said.

Phippen lost his wife three years ago, said Nagyivanyi. Her family went on camping trips with Phippen and his clan. He was the kind of person who got along with both children and adults, she said.

“Our kids look up to us, and look to us for guidance, but these kids considered John their best friend,” Nagyivani said. “That tells a lot about the kind of person you are. He was everybody’s best friend.”

One time, when a boat flipped over during a camping trip, Phippen and his son sprang into action just like they did at the concert, she said.

“He was a man of integrity who always had your back,” she said. “There is nothing he couldn’t do for you, wouldn’t do for you. You didn’t even have to ask.”

https://www.gofundme.com/for-the-children-of-john-phippen

Kurt von Tillow

Kurt von Tillow of Cameron Park, California, and his wife Mary Jo were best friends who did everything together. They golfed together and recently brought their two grandchildren to Disneyland. Together, they attended the country musical festival with their daughter and two more relatives.

Von Tillow’s wife and daughter escaped unharmed. But the 55-year-old truck driver died of his injuries, a relative told CNN. Von Tillow’s sister and niece were hospitalized Monday and are expected to survive, Janet Carson-Tenney said.

“He lived a perfect life. He was loved by everybody, he didn’t have an enemy, he didn’t have a mean bone in his body. He was the life of the party,” Carson-Tenney told CNN. She’ll remember his laugh and how much he loved his family.

Jack Beaton

Jack Beaton of Bakersfield, California, was attending the concert as he celebrated his 23rd wedding anniversary with his wife Laurie and their friends. Three hours before the shooting, he posted a blurry photo on Facebook of the gang lounging on the lawn, koozie-covered beers in hand.

The day after the shooting, Beaton’s son shared a picture on Twitter of his father and asked for prayers.

“He jumped in front of my mom and got shot,” he wrote. “I love you dad.”

Later, he posted on Facebook: “Lost my best friend. I love you so much more (than) you could ever imagine.”

Melissa Ramirez

Melissa Ramirez, a California State University Bakersfield graduate, was killed during the Las Vegas shooting, according to the school.

Ramirez graduated from CSUB in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Flags at the school were lowered on Monday in honor of Ramirez and the other victims and will remain so through sunset on Friday, the school said in a statement.

“We are terribly saddened to learn that we lost a member of our CSUB family in this senseless act of violence. Our entire CSUB campus community is heartbroken, and we send our deepest sympathies to Melissa Ramirez’s family and friends,” the school said.

She worked at an auto insurance company and friends said her smile would light up a room.

https://www.gofundme.com/MelissaRamirezMemorial

Rachael Parker

Rachael Parker, a 33-year-old records technician for the police department in Manhattan Beach, California, was shot and died at the hospital, Manhattan Beach Police Department said.

She worked for nearly a decade at the front desk of the police station. Even in those stressful confines, she was known for her “cheerful and compassionate demeanor,” police said.

“Rachael’s smile could light up a room, even on the most difficult of days.”

She also had eyes on higher education. Parker earned her bachelor’s degree in social work from Colorado State University in June 2016, and she was in the process of applying to graduate school, police said.

She had a particular passion for working with older adults — she completed her undergraduate practicum by working with Manhattan Beach’s Older Adults Program — and she loved her two adopted dogs, Maddie and Izzy. She enjoyed baking, country music and Los Angeles Kings hockey, police said.

“Rachael, we love you and we miss you. Our hearts are breaking,” police wrote. “Please keep Rachael’s family and friends in your thoughts during this difficult time.”

She was one of four off-duty Manhattan Beach police employees who attended the Vegas concert. Another police employee, a sworn officer, was shot and suffered minor injuries, the department said.

Tara Roe

Tara Roe was an educational assistant with Foothills School Division in Alberta, Superintendent of Schools John Bailey said in a statement identifying her among the dead.

She also was a model for Sophia Models International, the agency said in a Facebook post.

“She was always a friendly face and had a very caring spirit. We are saddened, shocked and pray for everyone affected by this tragedy.”

Jordan McIldoon

Jordan McIldoon, a 25-year-old from Maple Ridge, British Columbia, died holding the hand of a stranger at the concert.

Heather Gooze told CNN she somehow ended up next to McIldoon, and, even though she didn’t know him, she held his hand during his final minutes. She felt a squeeze from his fingers, then felt his hand go loose.

Gooze knew there was nothing more to do, she said, yet she stayed with McIldoon for hours. When his phone rang, she answered it and learned his name — and said everything was not OK, she recalled.

Then, Gooze relayed the news of his death by phone to his long-term girlfriend and his mother, she said, all the while staying by his side.

“I didn’t want Jordan to not have somebody with him,” she told CNN through tears. “I didn’t want him to just be a no-named body. I knew who he was, and now I had an obligation to make sure that everyone knew who he was.”

McIldoon’s mother told Gooze he was a good, nice and fun person.

“He loved his girlfriend and had great family and great friends,” Gooze told CNN.

Christopher Roybal

Christopher Roybal, a 28-year-old general manager at a Crunch gym in North Colorado Springs, Colorado, was known for his “big teddy bear smile and infectious laughter,” according to David Harman, managing partner at Crunch.

“More than a team member, we lost someone who was a son, mentor, friend and hero, as a Navy veteran who served in Afghanistan,” Harman said.

Ryan Chiaverini, Roybal’s former brother-in-law, told CNN that Roybal was attending the concert with his mother to celebrate his 29th birthday. He had a really good sense of humor and had a “fun, sweet, innocent way about him,” Chiaverini said.

In a Facebook post from July, Roybal poignantly reflected on what it’s like being shot at from his time overseas.

“My response has always been the same, not one filled with a sense of pride or ego, but an answer filled with truth and genuine fear/anger,” he wrote.

He said his first fight was something he’d never forget. He felt sensory overload and extreme adrenaline, making him “excited, angry and manic.” But as the fights continued, the excitement faded, leaving just the anger, he wrote.

“What’s it like to be shot at? It’s a nightmare no amount of drugs, no amount of therapy and no amount of drunk talks with your war veteran buddies will ever be able to escape,” he wrote. “Cheers boys.”

He died of wounds suffered in the concert shooting.

Hannah Ahlers

Brian Ahlers told CNN his wife of 17 years was “shot in the head while dancing” with him at the music festival.

Hannah Ahlers, 34, was a stay-at-home mom of three who had lived in Beaumont, California, for the last five years, but was originally from Redlands.

“She was a full-time house wife and mommy and she was amazing at it,” he said. “Very active in moms groups and our daughter’s volleyball team. She wasn’t too good for anybody. Beautiful inside and out.”

Ryan Chiaverini, who was friends with Ahlers, told CNN that “she couldn’t hurt a fly.”

“She was one of the kindest people I’ve met,” he said.

https://www.gofundme.com/hannah-ahlers-las-vegas-victim

Stacee Etcheber

The San Francisco Police Officers Association confirmed Tuesday that Stacee Etcheber was killed in the attack.

Etcheber attended the concert with her husband, Vinnie Etcheber, a San Francisco police officer who was off duty. When the shooting began, Vinnie Etcheber told his wife to run as he began to render aid to those wounded, the SFPOA said in a statement.

“With heavy hearts, we’ve learned that Stacee Etcheber has passed away. Stacee was a wonderful, caring wife, mother, and daughter. She will be terribly missed,” SFPOA President Martin Halloran said in a statement.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the entire Etcheber family and our thoughts and prayers are with all those who lost a loved one during this tragic attack.”

https://www.gofundme.com/etcheber-family-fund

Denise Salmon Burditus

Denise Salmon Burditus, 50, and her husband Tony had traveled to Las Vegas and were enjoying a weekend away from their West Virginia home.

The couple, who had been married for 32 years, posted to their social media accounts several silly pictures of themselves lounging by the pool and having dinner with friends. Half an hour before the shooting began on Sunday, Denise posted a picture of herself and her husband standing in front of the Route 91 Harvest stage.

But the trip ended in tragedy, and Tony Burditus confirmed his wife’s death on Facebook.

“It saddens me to say that I lost my wife of 32 years, a mother of two, soon to be grandmother of 5 this evening in the Las Vegas Shooting,” he wrote. “Denise passed in my arms. I LOVE YOU BABE.”

Denise described herself on Facebook as semiretired, and she was the former president of the Association of the United States Army sub-chapter in Lacey, Washington, according to NorthwestMilitary.com.

Charleston Hartfield

Charleston Hartfield was many things: a Las Vegas police officer, an accomplished Nevada Army National Guard sergeant first class and a youth football coach.

But beyond those titles, he “epitomizes everything good about America,” said Brig. Gen. Zachary Doser, commander of the Nevada National Guard.

Hartfield was off-duty and attending the Route 91 Harvest concert when he was shot and killed, the Guard said in a statement.

Though just 34, Hartfield wrote a memoir titled “Memoirs of a Public Servant,” which documented the “thoughts, feelings, and interactions of one Police Officer in the busiest and brightest city in the world, Las Vegas.”

“Charleston Hartfield lived to serve the public and protect his family,” Brig. Gen. William Burks, the adjutant general of the Nevada National Guard, said. “He is the epitome of a citizen-soldier.”

Hartfield — or “Coach Chucky,” as some called him — was also a coach for the Henderson Cowboys youth football program, the group said on Facebook.

“Coach Hartfield touched many lives both on and off the field. He was a great man who we all lost way (too) early,” the program said.

Stan King, the father of one of the players on the team, said he was “an absolute all-American kind of guy.”

“He is one of the nicest guys I know and helped countless youth become winners through NYS football here in Henderson, Nevada,” King said. “This kind of guy comes around once in a blue moon. He was a very special guy to the community.”

Angela Gomez

Angela “Angie” Gomez was a “fun-loving, sweet young lady with a great sense of humor” who loved the stage, the Riverside Unified School District said in a statement.

Gomez attended Riverside Polytechnic High School in California and was a member of the class of 2015. She acted on stage with the Riverside Children’s Theater, was involved in the middle and high school choir, and was a cheerleader for the high school, the school district said.

She challenged herself academically with honors and Advanced Placement courses, the school district said. And she “was always seen with a smile on her face whenever she was on campus.”

“Angie was a loyal friend who loved her family and will be forever missed by all those who knew her,” the district said.

Her English teacher and cheer coach Lupe Avila said the school was “deeply saddened by the loss of a wonderful young woman who had her whole life ahead of her.”

https://www.gofundme.com/angela-gomez-memorial-fund

Sonny Melton

Sonny Melton, 29, a registered nurse from Tennessee, was shot and killed in the attack Sunday night, according to the Henry County Medical Center in Paris, Tennessee, where he worked.

His wife, Heather Melton, an orthopedic surgeon at Innovative Orthopedics, survived the mass shooting, the statement reads.

In an interview with CNN affiliate WSMV, Heather Melton said her husband saved her life amid the gunfire.

“He saved my life. He grabbed me and started running when I felt him get shot in the back,” she said. “I want everyone to know what a kind-hearted, loving man he was, but at this point, I can barely breathe.”

Sonny Melton graduated from Union University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Accelerated degree and was president of his BSNA class, according to the university.

“You know how when you met someone and you just know that they’re good and kind? That was Sonny,” said Christy Davis, assistant professor of nursing at Union. “He just had a sweet, kind spirit about him.”

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam tweeted that he was praying for those affected by the shooting, including Melton’s family.

“In particular, Crissy and I extend our condolences and prayers to the family of Sonny Melton from West Tennessee who was among those killed in this tragedy,” Haslam said. “We know other Tennesseans were in attendance or performing at the event, and my thoughts go out to them as we grieve and process the enormity of this attack. Tennessee stands with Las Vegas during this difficult time.”

Sandra Casey

Sandra Casey, a special education teacher at Manhattan Beach Middle School, was fatally wounded in the shooting, according to Mike Matthews, the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Superintendent.

Casey had taught there for the past nine years and will be remembered for her sense of humor, her passion for her work, her devotion to her students, and her commitment to continuing her own learning and to taking on whatever new projects came her way, Matthews said.

“Our students, employees, and parents are devastated by Sandy Casey’s death. We lost a spectacular teacher who devoted her life to helping some of our most needy students,” Matthews said.

Several other members of the Manhattan Beach school district attended the music festival as well but were unharmed, the school district said.

https://www.gofundme.com/SandyCasey

Jenny Parks

Jenny Parks, a kindergarten teacher for the Westside Union School District in California, was among those who died in the Vegas shooting, according to Steven McCarthy, her husband’s uncle.

“She was truly one of the most loving people you could ever hope to meet,” McCarthy said. “She always went out of her way to help anybody.”

He said that he never saw her upset, and never saw her sad.

Her husband, Bobby Parks, is currently in surgery after a bullet injured his arm and finger, McCarthy said. He said that Bobby Parks is responsive and aware that his wife passed away.

Jenny Parks has two brothers who lived in Las Vegas, and the couple was visiting them.

https://www.gofundme.com/y4nud-parks-family

Michelle Vo

Michelle Vo, 34, was a resident of Eagle Rock. She was a New York Life Insurance employee in its Greater Pasadena office, was among the victims of the shooting, a New York Life spokesperson said.

“Like all Americans, we are shocked and saddened at the terrible tragedy that has unfolded in Las Vegas. Our grief is deepened by knowing that a member of the New York Life family, Michelle Vo, an agent in our Greater Pasadena office, was among those killed. During this terrible time, our thoughts and prayers go out to her family and loved ones.”

Friends said she had a bubbly and energetic personality, and the festival was her first country western concert.

https://www.gofundme.com/michelle-vo-memorial

Quinton Robbins

Quinton Robbins, from Henderson, Nevada, “was the most kind and loving soul,” his aunt, Kilee Wells Sanders, said on Facebook.

Robbins’ uncle, Mike Wells, confirmed that Robbins died and said his family was in disbelief. Quinton Robbins coached his younger brother’s flag football team, and the two siblings had just attended a Dodgers game together.

“Everyone who met him, loved him,” Sanders wrote. “His contagious laugh and smile. He was truly an amazing person. He will be missed by so many, he is loved by so many. So many awesome talents. I can’t say enough good about this sweet soul.”

Neysa Tonks

Neysa Tonks, a Las Vegas resident and mother of three, also lost her life in the Las Vegas shooting, her employer Technologent confirmed. Tonks leaves behind three sons — Kaden, Braxton and Greysen.

“Neysa has brought so much joy, fun and laughter to Technologent — she will be greatly missed by all!”

Technologent has established a GoFundMe page on behalf of Tonk’s family. The effort had raised more than $120,000 by Tuesday.

Susan Smith

Susan Smith, a 53-year-old mother who was the office manager for Vista Elementary School in California, was killed in the shooting, according to Jake Finch, the Simi Valley Unified School District’s media relations coordinator.

Smith, who had been with the school district for 16 years, was a “big country music fan” and had gone to Las Vegas with a couple of friends for the music festival, Finch said.

She was “always so welcoming,” Finch said, and served as the “right hand to the principal.”

Smith was married with two young-adult children, Finch said. Her own kids were once a part of the school district and she was very active as a parent, Finch said.

“Everybody knew her,” he added. “She touched a lot of lives.”

The PTA at Vista Fundamental Elementary School posted condolences for Smith on Facebook, saying “she was a wonderful woman, an advocate for our children, and a friend.”

Bailey Schweitzer

Bailey Schweitzer was with her mother watching some of their favorite bands at the Route 91 concert in Las Vegas when the 20-year-old was shot and killed, according to CNN affiliate KBAK.

Schweitzer graduated from Centennial High School, where she was a cheerleader and played volleyball. She was also a member of the Valley Bible Fellowship Church and helped run her family’s business, Bakersfield Speedway.

Matt Woessner, a family friend, watched Bailey grow up and said she “had a heart for people.” He told KBAK that “the whole community has lost a great person in Bailey Schweitzer and she’s going to be truly missed everywhere.”

https://www.gofundme.com/bailey-schweitzers-memorial-fund

Jennifer T. Irvine

San Diego-based attorney Jennifer T. Irvine, who was on vacation in Las Vegas to attend the concert, was one of the victims of the shooting, her publicist Jay Jones said.

Irvine practiced criminal and family law and owned her own boutique firm. Her website describes her as a “tenacious litigator” who is passionate about assisting clients during difficult times.

The website also notes other unique interests out of the courtroom. She earned a black-belt in taekwondo, enjoyed practicing hot yoga, was an avid snowboarder, and aspired to learn indoor rock climbing and to experience sky-diving, the site says.

Jones, her publicist, released the following statement:

“Remembering a dear friend & colleague whose life was cut short by an unspeakable tragedy. Our sincerest thoughts to those affected during this difficult time. May our unity & strength shine over the darkness.”

Calla Medig

Calla Medig, a resident of Jasper, Canada, was one of the people who died in Sunday’s mass shooting, her employer confirmed.

Medig was “super mature, light heartened, grounded, down to earth,” said Scott Collingwood, general manager at Moxie’s restaurant in West Edmonton, where Calla worked as a waitress since September 2015.

This was her third year attending the festival, Collingwood said. “She left a big hole in our hearts here,” he said.

Lisa Romero-Muniz

Lisa Romero-Muniz, a secretary for Gallup-McKinley County Schools in western New Mexico, was killed in the shooting, school district superintendent Mike Hyatt said.

Her son, Anthony Romero, told CNN she was generous and kind.

“She wore her heart on her sleeve … she would give you the last dime she had with no questions asked and treated everybody like family.”

Anthony Romero said his mother’s smile would “brighten the darkest of nights.”

She had worked for the school district since 2003 at three different schools and specifically worked as a discipline secretary, acting as an advocate for students during times of discipline.

“As many students have mentioned in some Facebook posts and to many of us, she was there for them and she respected them and tried to work with them as much as she could,” Hyatt said.

He said Romero-Muniz was outgoing, kind, and considerate of all those she worked with.

“We cannot express enough the loss that our organization feels at this time, and the heartache we feel for Lisa’s husband, children, grandchildren and family,” Hyatt said.

Erick Silva

Erick Silva, 21, was among the victims of Sunday’s shootings, his stepsister Daisy Hernandez said. His family is holding a vigil for him tonight in Las Vegas, where he lived. She said that he had recently started working in security because he loved helping people.

“All I can tell you is that he was a great son, brother, uncle who was loved by so many people,” Hernandez said. “He had just turned 21 this August and I’m pretty sure he died trying to protect people at that concert.”

Rhonda LeRocque

Rhonda LeRocque of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, was one of the victims in the shooting, her family said.

Her mother, Priscilla Champagne, told CNN that LeRocque was a “beautiful woman inside and out.”

“A truly great mother, daughter, wife, aunt, sister, worker, and a good, kindhearted friend. She had a great faith in Jehovah God, and had a wonderful family life. She loved Hawaii, Disney, and country music.” she said.

“She was the best of the best. She was the hostess with the mostess … the glue who kept our family gatherings together. She will be greatly missed by us all.”

Her sister, Korina Champagne, said in a Facebook post on Monday that her heart was broken.

“My Beautiful Sister Rhonda LeRocque lost her life in the Las Vegas mass shooting,” Korina Champagne posted. “My heart is broken, I’m numb, I feel paralyzed. This doesn’t seem real. All I can do is turn to God’s Word for comfort, just as she would want me to. May shec rest now until her name is called and she is awakened in paradise.”

She added a Bible passage to the end of her Facebook post, “Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.”

Jessica Klymchuk

Jessica Klymchuk, a resident of Valleyview in Alberta, Canada, was also among the victims of Sunday’s shooting. A single mother of four, she was an educational assistant, librarian and bus driver for St. Stephen’s School in Valleyview, Holy Family Catholic Regional Division Superintendent Betty Turpin said in a statement.

“The scope of this tragedy is worldwide and we are feeling its impact here at home,” the statement said.

 

Carrie Barnette

Disney employee Carrie Barnette was one of the victims of Sunday’s shooting, the company’s Chairman and CEO Robert Iger said Monday.

“A senseless, horrific, act, and a terrible loss for so many. We mourn a wonderful member of the Disney family: Carrie Barnette. Tragic,” Iger tweeted.

In a statement, the company said Barnette had worked for Disney for 10 years “and was beloved by her friends and colleagues.”

“Another valued Disney cast member, Jessica Milam, was also seriously injured and we are praying for her recovery,” the statement said.

https://www.gofundme.com/carrie-barnette-victim-of-las-vegas

Laura Shipp

Laura Shipp, 50, of Thousand Oaks went to the concert with her son, Corey.

They were “big concertgoers, especially when it came to country,” a family friend said in an online fundraiser.

At some point the two were separated and Corey Shipp spent the day after the shooting looking for his mother. By Wednesday, she had been identified, her brother confirmed to CNN.

She is the cousin of an L.A. news anchor, who described her on Instagram as fun and funny.

https://www.gofundme.com/family-support-and-costs

Teresa Nicol Kimura

Nicol Kimura, 38, of Placentia was a 1999 graduate of El Dorado High School.

She attended the concert with six friends, said Ryan Miller, pastor at For His Glory Community Church in Fullerton, California.

Miller was among those friends. He said they all scattered when the shooting started. After the rest of the group reconnected, the friends learned Kimura had died.

“Nicol’s heart was bigger than most human beings, her spirit was beautiful, her laugh was infectious, and she just had a way of making every time we gathered an awesome one,” Miller wrote on a GoFundMe page he started for her family. “She made you jealous of how much she loved life. And if you didn’t know her, you missed out on a better life than the one you have.”

She had worked for the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration in Irvine.

Responding to the news, the press office of California Gov. Jerry Brown wrote on Twitter, “Sad to learn @cdtfa employee Teresa Nicol Kimura was a victim of the Las Vegas shooting. We send sincere condolences to family & coworkers.”

Friends described her personality as vivacious, saying she had an infectious laugh. She leaves behind a sister and parents.

https://www.gofundme.com/nicol-kimura-memorial-fund

Victor Link

Victor Link, 52, was an Orange County resident who had just returned from a trip to Europe with his fiancee when he went to the concert in Vegas. Friends and family said he was a loan processor who loved music.

He described himself on his company’s website as a “tequila quality control tester.” He said he also enjoyed traveling, snowboarding, golfing, cooking and wine tasting with family and friends.

Andrew Soss confirmed that Link worked for his mortgage originator business.

“He was the most genuine, stand-up guy you’ll ever meet. He brought a smile to everyone’s face,” Soss said.

Austin Davis

Austin Davis, 29, was a pipefitter from Riverside who went to Las Vegas with some friends. An only child, he leaves behind his parents and a girlfriend of nine years.

CNN reported Davis went to the concert with a friend and her family, and the friend’s father, Tom Day Jr., was also killed.

His girlfriend of nine years, Aubree Hennigan, said he loved playing softball. Katelyn Hood, who said Davis was her best friend and her baby’s godfather, described him as a man’s man with a contagious smile.

“He worked so very hard and took the most pride in that and anything he did. Austin didn’t half-a** anything in life. If he knew you, he loved you. That’s just how he cared for people,” Hood said.

Davis’ mother, Lori Quick, said he was her everything. In his last text to her, he said, “I kinda want to come home, I love home,” Quick said in a Facebook post.

“He is coming home not in a way that any parent would want him to. We wanted to bring him home in our arms,” she said.

https://www.gofundme.com/austin-davis-memorial-fund

Rocio Guillen Rocha

Rocio Guillen Rocha of Anaheim was with her fiancé in Las Vegas to celebrate a friend’s birthday, and the couple were at the concert when she was shot.

She was taken to a hospital but didn’t survive, her family said.

She was a mother of four children, including a son born just a month ago. She worked as an assistant manager at a California Pizza Kitchen restaurant. In a GoFundMe post aimed at raising money for the family, her cousin described her as a hard-working “supermom.”

“She loved sports and being a supporting baseball mom,” the post reads. “Her greatest accomplishment was being a mother as she would always say. She was a supermom, always working hard and juggling everything to be the best mom to her 4 children.”

As a mother, she struggled through what was once feared to be permanent paralysis, said her eldest son, Marcus Guillen, 18.

“She was paralyzed having my brother” years ago, Guillen told CNN. “She had a blood clot in her spine. The doctors said she would never walk again. She proved everyone wrong. She was able walk. After that, she ran half marathons.

“She did everything she could. She always fought for us. I want (people) to remember just how much a fighter she was and how much she worked and how much she provided for us.”

She is survived by her fiancé, Chris Jaksha, and her children: Marcus, 18; Christopher, 13; Sofia, 1; and a 1-month-old, Austin.

Jaksha confirmed her death to CNN.

https://www.gofundme.com/4irnbc8

https://www.gofundme.com/rocio-guillen-rocha

Patricia ‘Pati’ Mestas

Patricia “Pati” Mestas, 67, of Menifee attended the festival with her son and some friends and was near the front of the stage when the shooting began, her cousin Tom Smith said.

Mestas was a retired gas station, convenience store and deli manager from Menifee, California, and she loved country music, traveling and her family, Smith said.

“This was the best part of her life,” Smith said, adding she talked of having time now to be with her grandchildren. “I remember the almost constant laughter.”

Smith recalls spending time with Mestas in March after their last remaining uncle died. He sat next to her at dinner. “It was difficult for life to defeat her,” he said. “I remember her being able to talk about the good things, rather than talk about illnesses, like older people do. She loved to laugh, loved to smile — a big smile that would line up the whole of her face.”

Mestas leaves two brothers, three children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

https://www.gofundme.com/help-family-las-vegas-tragedy​

 

Andrea Castilla

Andrea Castilla was celebrating her 28th birthday in Las Vegas when she was killed in the shooting.

Her aunt wrote in a GoFundMe page that Castilla was holding hands with her sister, as they watched the band play, when shots rang out.

Castilla was shot in the head. Her boyfriend, Derek Miller, and her sister, Athena and Athena’s fiancé, Shane Armstrong, all tried carrying her to safety “dodging bullets along the way,” her aunt wrote on the GoFundMe page.

“With help of others they carried her over a fence – and got her to the highway where they flagged down a passing motorist who took them to the hospital in the back of his truck,”  her aunt wrote.

The group waited for hours in the emergency room until they were later told she was dead upon arrival to the hospital, her aunt wrote, as the identification process had become confused with another patient.

“Her beautiful soul will live on forever,” her father, Gus, wrote on Facebook. “I will think of her every day not… I feel Andrea is now an angel in heaven.”

In another post, her father added, “I will cry my self to sleep… Daddy misses you.”

Castilla worked at Sephora in Huntington Beach, California. A company statement said she was “known to her colleagues … for her vibrancy, liveliness, caring and consideration of others.”

https://www.gofundme.com/AndreaCastillaMemorial-LasVegasTragedy

Carrie Parsons

Carrie Parsons, 31, was “always the life of the party and had the biggest heart,” her aunt Barbara wrote on Facebook.

“We lost our beautiful niece to a totally senseless act in Las Vegas,” Barbara Parsons wrote. “There really are no words to describe the pain of missing Carrie on our whole family. … Recently engaged, she had her whole life in front of her.”

A Seattle-area resident, Parsons was at the Las Vegas music festival on a trip with her girlfriends, CNN affiliate KOMO reported.

“She would always say, ‘live, laugh, love’ and she did that,” her friend Laura Cooper told KOMO.

Parsons, a lover of country music, had a “vibrant, bubbly personality,” her friend Robbie Walden told CNN affiliate KCPQ.

Austin Meyer

Austin Meyer, a Marina, California, resident, was at the concert with his fiancée Dana Getreu to celebrate his 24th birthday, according to CNN affiliate KSBW. They were also celebrating an upcoming anniversary.

Meyer had recently moved to Reno, Nevada, where he was an automotive student at Truckee Meadows Community College, the school said in a statement.

“He was a wonderful young man and my future son-in-law,” Getreu’s father, Gary, said in the statement posted on the college’s Facebook page.

“He loved attending the automotive program at your school and praised it all the time. … The loss and grief his family and mine feel at this time is beyond belief.”

Mayer hoped to open his own auto repair shop after graduation, according to his sister, Veronica Meyer.

“He was excited to get married and start a family,” she told KSBW.

She described her brother as “ambitious, smart, and hard-working,” and said he “always had a smile on his face.”

Chris Hazencomb

Chris Hazencomb, 44, was excited to see one of his favorite artists, Jason Aldean, at Route 91 Harvest.

Hazencomb went to the festival with his friend Nikki Torres. Torres said she and her husband knew Hazencomb for years and considered him part of their family.

“He was the nicest person I have known. He loved to help people and thought of others before himself,” she told CNN.

Like many attendees, they thought the first round of gunshots were firecrackers. “After the second or third rounds, we realized that it was bad,” Torres said. “That is when I looked over and he was on the ground.”

After that, Torres said her memories blur together. She saw a man try to help Hazencomb while others led her away from the scene.

Hazencomb’s mother told the Ventura County Star that he was a sports a junkie who worked at the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Camarillo, California.

KTLA’s Alexandria Hernandez contributed to this report.