By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-01-04 22:50:17 | Updated at 2025-01-06 20:46:42
1 day ago
A young man killed in the New Orleans terrorist attack's last words to his sister were 'Happy New Year's, I love you'.
Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, died alongside 13 others celebrating the first hours of 2025 on Bourbon Street is the city's historic French Quarter on Wednesday.
US Army veteran and ISIS recruit Shamsud Din Jabbar rammed a pickup truck into a crowd about 3.15am, then got out and gunned down others as they fled.
Hubert, from Marrero on the outskirts of New Orleans, went into the city to celebrate with friends, but never came back.
He sent his last message at 12.08am to his sister Brooke Gauthreaux, a student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
'Happy new year i love u!!' she replied, to which Hubert respnded 'love you too'.
Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, died alongside 13 others celebrating the first hours of 2025 on Bourbon Street is New Orleans' historic French Quarter on Wednesday
US Army veteran and ISIS recruit Shamsud Din Jabbar rammed a pickup truck into a crowd about 3.15am, then got out and gunned down others as they fled
Gauthreaux's 's last words to his sister Brooke were 'Happy New Year's, I love you'.
Hubert's family met at the site of the massacre on Friday and walked hand-in-hand down Bourbon Street, with a police escort.
Brooke collapsed with emotion as they walked, prompting tears even from the officers escorting them, and spoke at a memorial forming at the site.
'The memory of his love and kindness will remain in our hearts forever. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers,' she said on behalf of the family.
She described her little brother as someone who loved deeply, gave generously, and brought joy to everyone who knew him.
Hubert family frantically shared posts to social media that he was missing in the aftermath of the attack, before revealing he was found dead at a hospital.
'Missing kid due to the craziness in the FQ! Please BOLO!!!' one wrote, believing he was just stranded in the chaos.
Posts turned to tributes as family came to terms with his death in the hours and day after the suicide attack.
He sent his last message at 12.08am to his sister Brooke Gauthreaux, a student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Hubert with Brooke at his graduatin from Archbishop Shaw High School in 2021
Brooke collapsed with emotion as they walked, prompting tears even from the officers escorting them, and spoke at a memorial forming at the site
'I woke up yesterday and a piece of me was gone. My sweet, selfless baby brother. You deserved so much better than this,' Brooke wrote.
'I don't know how I'm supposed to go on without you. Without expecting a random phone call from you just to talk for an hour while you're driving home, for advice, for you to vent or to get your little shit ass out of trouble.
'Without asking you for a favor and you dropping everything to help me or coming all the way to and from Lafayette to pick me up or drop me off.'
Brooke wrote that she was looking forward to the two-and-a-half-hour drive Hubert was supposed to take her on back to campus on Friday.
'You are so loved by everyone you've touched in this world. I'm so proud to be your big sister,' she wrote.
Hubert, from Marrero on the outskirts of New Orleans, went into the city to celebrate with friends, but never came back
Hubert's name was added to a mural on Bourbon Street started by Roberto Marquez, bearing the names of the 14 victims
A group of friends mourn the loss of Hubert Gauthreaux whose photograph is placed on a wooden cross among others who lost their lives
'I'd do anything to go back and be in the bleachers supporting you on the baseball diamond. Back to complaining about driving you and your friends everywhere, but doing it every single time anyway.
'Nothing feels real anymore. Part of me is just expecting for you to walk through the door with that slick little grin and give me a hug. I miss you so so much already.'
Family friend Amy Foy shared a photo of Hubert's first tattoo that he got on on October 18, heartbreakingly showing the gates of Heaven shining behind a white dove and three dice.
'We love you sweet angel and we will miss you terribly,' she wrote.
Hubert's name was added to a mural on Bourbon Street started by Roberto Marquez, bearing the names of the 14 victims.
Gavin Gauthreaux (right) and his son Hubert in a photo he shared after his death
Hubert with his sister as children in a photo shared online after his death
Family friend Amy Foy shared a photo of Hubert's first tattoo that he got on on October 18, heartbreakingly showing the gates of Heaven shining behind a white dove and three dice
Hubert with his mother as a baby
The young man's former school, Archbishop Shaw High School said: 'It is with great sorrow that we share that alum Hubert Gauthreaux, Class of 2021, was tragically killed in the senseless act of violence that occurred early this morning in the French Quarter.
'He was 21 years old. We are asking the entire Archbishop Shaw family to pray for the repose of Hubert's soul, his family and friends during this difficult time, and all those affected by this tragedy.'
New Orleans released the names of 12 of the 14 victims on Friday, but two are still unidentified. Another 35 people were injured.
The victims were: Edward Pettifer, Brandon Taylor, Elliot Wilkinson, Terrence 'Terry' Kennedy, William 'Billy' DiMaio, Hubert Gauthreaux, Kareem Badawi, Andrew 'Drew' Dauphin, Matthew Tenedorio, Nikyra Dedeaux, Reggie Hunter, Martin 'Tiger' Bech, and Nicole Perez.
