Saheed Saleh, a Dayton resident and Eritrea native, was remembered as a kindhearted and hard-working person.
Yahya Khamis, president of the Dayton Sudanese community, who spoke on behalf of Saleh’s family, said several members from across the state came to Dayton to pay their respects. Eritrea and Sudan are neighboring East African countries, and Saleh had lived in Sudan, Khamis said.
Saleh’s friends and families are thankful for the support from the city of Dayton as they mourn the loss of their loved one, Khamis said.
“We are here as a family, no matter who we are, as the city of Dayton is a welcoming city,” he said.
Saleh’s funeral is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Khamis said.
>> PHOTOS: Prayer vigil held for victims of Oregon District shooting
The Dayton Daily News also shared stories on Monday from family and friends of some of the nine people who were shot and killed by the gunman, Connor Betts, 24.
The victims include his sister, Megan Betts. The family hasn't yet spoken to the media.
At a vigil at Wright State University on Monday afternoon to mourn Megan Betts, who had been student there, Laura Luehrmann, president of the Wright State faculty senate, took a moment to recognize those who were affected but were not at the vigil.
“We also know there are many more in our community who gather with us in spirit who are either unable to be with us because they are out of town or for whom such a public gathering in a time of such tremendous tragedy is too painful. We think of them in this moment as well,” Luehrmann said.
Megan Betts sang with the university chorus for three and a half years and was “what great choirs are made of,” according to James Tipps, music professor and university chorus conductor.
She particularly enjoyed doing large works, notably Mendelssohn’s Elijah and the Fauré Requiem, but wasn’t a fan of doing choreography that might be put in with a choral piece, he recalled.
She was very social and a welcoming person to new singers, particularly those who were in her alto section, he said.
“It is hard to think of coming back to rehearsals without Megan. She was an absolute joy to work with, and she made a very positive difference in our lives,” Tipps said.
Donna Johnson spent part of the day Monday talking to media across the nation while trying to determine when the family would bury her nephew, Thomas "TeeJay" McNichols.
>> Gestures of kindness, compassion and love shine through in Dayton’s darkest hour
McNichols, 25, worked in a Dayton factory and was a trained forklift driver preparing to become an HVAC technician, Johnson said.
The father of four liked to play a video game called Fortnite with his children and nephews, Johnson said.
Many people have posted about McNichols’ kindness on her Facebook page, Johnson said.
“He was really a good kid,” she said. “There were a lot of great comments said about him.”
>> Crowds return to Oregon District: ‘I felt God was pulling me here’
In Springboro, while it had been over a decade since Logan Turner played for the Springboro football team, he was remembered for his dedication on and off the field.
Springboro Schools said: “The district’s heartfelt condolences and prayers are with the Turner family. Springboro Schools is grateful for the swift response from the Dayton Police Department, and stands along with those in the community suffering from this tragic act of cowardice.”
>> Dayton community unites after tragedy: ‘We will not succumb to fear’
“It was super heartbreaking to see it was him of all people because I know how nice that person was. He never ever did anything to harm anybody else,” said Turner’s former football teammate, Trent Brands.
His former football coach Ryan Wilhite said he stood out for how hard he worked both as a student and as an athlete. Turner had even come back and coached freshman football for a while and “did a great job of setting an example for young people,” Wilhite said.
Wilhite said people who knew Turner from football have been asking him if there’s anything they can do to help.
“What I’ve told everyone is we’ll be there and help anyway we can if needed,” Wilhite said.
Greg Donson, president at Thaler Machine Co., said he met Turner when he was a server at a nearby restaurant and then learned Turner was studying engineering.
"I thought, 'Well then we need to hire you. We hired him and he came over and had a great personality and became a very good associate and worked his way to the top very quickly," Donson said.
Donson said Turner was a well-liked employee and said the Thaler workers met with his family Monday.
“We told the family of Logan’s that we’re going to whatever we can to support them,” Donson said.
Credit: Bill Lackey / Dayton Daily News
Credit: Bill Lackey / Dayton Daily News
Dion Green, the son of 57-year-old Derrick Fudge, said it's likely his dad protected him during the deadly mass shooting in at Dayton's Oregon District Sunday morning.
Green said he believes Fudge saved his life Sunday morning.
“He must’ve taken it for me,” Green said. “I just don’t understand. I’m so lost in the situation myself. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”
Fudge was a loving man, Green said.
>> Son of Springfield man killed in Dayton shooting: ‘He must have taken it for me.’
“My dad was a great person. Fun, always had a good time, make you laugh and he’ll always be there for you when you need help,” he said.
Green’s girlfriend, Donita Cosey, said she believes Fudge was protecting Green during the shooting. And because of him, they can now continue to raise their daughter together.
“It was just so surreal. Dion should have been shot first, then his dad,” Cosey said. “I feel like Derrick protected his child. He lived 57 years of life and he was still so young.”
The Miami Valley Community Action Partnership has launched a fundraiser for the children of Lois Oglesby, another one of the nine victims.
>> MORE: Fundraiser launched for children of Dayton shooting victim Lois Oglesby
Oglesby, 27, leaves behind Reigh, 8 months, and Hannah, 7. Money raised will be used for funeral expenses and for the children’s needs going forward. Oglesby’s mother, LaSandra James, is MVCAP’s director of micro enterprise and computer training.
“LaSandra is completely overwhelmed by this tragedy,” said Cherish L. Cronmiller, MVCAP president and CEO. “She wants everyone to know how much (Oglesby) loved her children, how much she wanted to provide for her children.”
James started bringing Lola, as friends called her daughter, into the office when she was about 4. More recently, Oglesby would bring Hannah in to visit her grandmother.
“When she’d come in and bring Hannah in, she always had her looking so cute,” Cronmiller said.
Oglesby was out with friends on Saturday night, enjoying her first outing since Reign was born. The baby’s two-month checkup with the pediatrician was Monday. “LaSandra said it’ll be impossible to fill her daughter’s shoes,” Cronmiller said.
The partnership held a gathering for employees on Monday afternoon, with spiritual leaders joining them to provide counsel.
“LaSandra called in and thanked everyone for their love and support and said just be thankful and love on each other,” Cronmiller said.
Two friends killed in the Oregon District shooting were each “one-of-a-kind,” said a former supervisor.
Monica Storey Brickhouse and Beatrice 'Nicole' Warren-Curtis once worked together at a health insurance company in Norfolk, Va. where the two forged a friendship, said Tonya Amos.
“They were very close,” Amos said. “They were just overall good people and they would do anything for anybody.”
Amos, who mentored both victims, said Brickhouse, 39, and Warren-Curtis, 36, were compassionate, honest and hard working.
“I looked at them as like they were my daughters,” she said. “They had aspirations to do different things in life, professionally and personally.”
“They didn’t deserve this,” Amos said.
Brickhouse is originally from Springfield, according to her Facebook page. She moved back to the area recently with her young son, Amos said. Warren-Curtis was in Dayton to visit Brickhouse from her home in Virginia.
Amos and Warren-Curtis attended the funeral of a mutual friend on July 5.
“We embraced for at least five minutes. It was a very long hug and we cried,” Amos said. “We told each other ‘I love you.’ And that was the last time that I saw her.”
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