California High School in San Ramon plans to honor two alumni killed in Las Vegas massacre

Byby Leslie Brinkley KGO logo
Thursday, October 5, 2017
California High School in San Ramon plans to honor two alumni killed in Las Vegas massacre during their homecoming celebrations.
California High School in San Ramon plans to honor two alumni killed in Las Vegas massacre during their homecoming celebrations.

SAN RAMON, Calif. (KGO) -- It's difficult to comprehend that two of the 59 fatalities in the Las Vegas shooting hailed from the same Bay Area high school, California high school in San Ramon.

Friends shared these Facebook photos and dropped off flowers for two alumni, Denise Freed Cohen, class of 1977 and for Stacee Rodriguez Etcheber class of 1985.

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"To have somebody you know, that you went to high school with, that you were friends for so many years," said Teresa Doskocz, a friend of the victim. "It's like somebody pulled the carpet out from underneath us. That's how we feel."

Denise Cohen was supposed to be at California high school next week for her 40th reunion. But on Sunday she was at the Las Vegas concert.

Cohen talked to her mom the night before and told her how much she loved her.

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"Everything I am today is because of what you taught me and I thought that was different to hear her say that," said Mary Ann Severe, the mother of Denise Cohen.

She says her daughter was vibrant and in a good place.

At 57, she had finally found her niche, worked in property management, and had gotten a new car and she was excited about the rest of her life.

She lived in Santa Barbara and leaves behind two sons and three grandchildren.

Stacee Etcheber was also at the concert with her husband, San Francisco police officer Vinny Etcheber.

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When the bullets went flying he urged her to run and escape as he attended to victims. But she didn't make it out alive.

"Certainly when you find out two people who came from a school here locally it's very hard to hear," said Elizabeth Graswich, with San Ramon Valley Unified School District

Plans are in the works to have a moment of silence at next week's homecoming football game as family and friends contemplate the future.

"No one should die this way. There have got to be a lot of changes and awareness," said Severe.

Click here for full coverage on the Las Vegas mass shooting.