I did not have the honor of knowing Officer Desha, but I cried as I watched her body be pulled from the wreckage. My deepest condolences go out to her family, friends & fellow officers... You will be missed.

My deepest condolences to Donna's family. I miss her a lot already, I still want it to be just a bad horrible dream, I want to dial the extension and realize its just that a bad dream. Still cant believe it... WHY her??? I just spoke to her on Thursday. She helped me out a lot at work with M3 and the supplies ordering and sometimes sped my orders thru :) but she also was a great listener and of course a greeeat talker... we will talk about family, Comedians if she went to a show or I did and we will always tell each other Dee Dee Deee (carlos mencia's trademark) at some point in our conversation.
"CoNo" I miss you! but I definitely know you are in a way better place.

like many other people i saw you and your family friday night. i cried with you and prayed you would find your beautiful daughter safe. i'm so sorry for the pain that you will now endure. nothing i can write will ease your pain all anyone can do is pray that you and your family come through this knowing your daughter touched many people even though we never knew her. god bless you.

I worked with Howard for 3 years and I always thought of him as my second grandfather. He was there when I needed advice, a hug and a laugh. He was a wonderful person with such a genuine heart. I will miss him.

God Bless you Robert Sanchez. My prayers to you and your family.

I am deeply, utterly heartbroken. Mr. Long taught me Christian apologetics at Grace Brethren when I was 17. He was also my guidance counselor. He always wanted to know how I was, what I'd been up to, what I thought of the things I was learning. He took the time to make sure I was okay. I can't recall once asking if he was okay.

On a sunny winter morning in Mr. Long's classroom, he was giving us a talk about the value of ambition and hard work and that, even in your dream job, there would be something you didn't like about it. We asked him what part of his job he didn't like, and he said without hesitation, "All the guidance counseling stuff. It's really stressful, too much paperwork, and my workload never lessens. I much prefer teaching." When pressed as to why he chose to take on such a difficult task, he reflected and replied, "Well, I know I can get the job done right. It helps you guys out."

That's just how Mr. Long was. He always did whatever he could to lend a hand, and never once chose himself over his students or God.

Mr. Long was single-handedly responsible for one of the most important choices I've made to this day. In my senior year of high school, I found myself disenchanted with education. I didn't want anything to do with college. Mr. Long overheard me say this. He took me firmly by the shoulders, looked me square in the eye, and said, "Tommy, you don't mean that." I told him that I did, and he ordered me to come see him after school. He sounded as though he were aboard a ship, and doing everything in his power to prevent it from sinking. I'd never heard him speak so sternly.

For many hours that afternoon, we talked. He helped me to see that my life was worth something. I had gifts, and they were powerful. If I didn't pursue them, nurture them, and hone them, then I was just throwing them away and I was committing the gravest of disservices against myself, my fellow man, and my God. I went home that day with an insatiable thirst for learing like I've never known, and months later attended Chapman University. Paul Long gave me the courage and the confidence to strike out into the strangeness and wonder of the world and embrace every new experience as an opportunity to reflect and grow.

We drifted apart over the years... I wish I'd come back to Simi and spoken with him more often. I never got to thank him. I guess I just figured I could do it "next time."

Mr. Long was an open fellow with that kind of embarassing, parental sense of humor and no shame when it came to a well-timed pun. He loved his wife and his son as much as I could ever hope to love another human being, and he strove ceaselessly to walk in peace with God. As he walked in peace, may he rest in peace.

I'm still trying to come to grips with the horrific ramifications of his death. Heaven's never had a brighter light join its ranks, but even knowing that, right now I just can't find any solace here on Earth. One day I want to see him again.

Above all else I knew Dean Brower as a dedicated father and husband. We got to know each other more in the past 3-4 months than in any other time we worked together. Dean and I shared stories about our families and we came to discover that we had some things in common. Dean shared with me his deep love and commitment for his wife and children and he talked about broadening his experience and education to better himself and provide more for his family. Although his life may have presented him with more challenges than most I feel that Dean was an amazing man to, along with Kim, rise up to meet those challenges with such love and dedication. On top of everything, because of their passion for an idea, to open Pulse Drumming is simply amazing. That could not have been easy but hearing Dean talk about it and looking at their website and community calendar, it's clear it is a great success for them and the communities they serve. Dean always had time to listen and he took a caring interest in my family. I miss him.

My children's teacher, my co-worker, friend, brother in Christ and pastor who married my husband and me in 2001. There's not a week that goes by that he hasn't popped into my memory for any number of reasons. His love for the Lord, his family, his fellow man and his students was evident in everything he did and his legacy will be long-reaching into the hearts of those he touched. God bless Karen and Devin in this difficult time ahead. We will all meet again in God's perfect time...

I am so very sorry for your loss. I saw news reports late Friday night on how you were frantically looking for her and I wished that she'd be okay. I used to take metrolink years ago and encountered many FIDM students and somehow this struck a chord in me. She must have been a very special person. Take care.

I don't know Pete personally, but I do know something about him. A few weeks ago my mom went to a surprise party for Pete's wife. I said to myself that day..."Wow, what a great husband to do something like that for his wife. I hope that my husband will do nice things like that for me as we grow old together." My deepest regards go out to the Kish family. You will be in my pray's even though I have never met you.