Remembering Nick Juarez

The has shaken the Mountain View community to its core.

Described as an outgoing, positve, fun and nice person by classmates, since is out for summer the horrific death of Juarez spread like wildfire on Facebook Tuesday, according to Kimberly Kaiser, 17, which is how she found out.

"There were so many thoughtful status messages, all saying that they would pray for his family," Kaiser said.

Kaiser, a rising senior, didn't know Nick well but had met him through other friends, who along with Nick, played on the .

"He was crazy outgoing and fun," she said and added that Nick, who would have been a junior, appeared to have taken advantage of his freshman year at SFHS to make lots of friends and join various clubs. "He looked like he was a great guy."

Learning that Nick had died how he did--shot in the face by his uncle--has affected this tight-knit community, Kaiser said.

"There was a lot of shock because of the way he died," she said. "You don't register that as happening in real life ... It's like something you would see on CSI."

Share your thoughts

Patch wants to encourage friends and family members to memorialize Nick on the site with comments and photos. Not everyone can access personal Facebook pages and residents of the Mountain View community could learn more about this bright teenager from your words.

Here's a story Patch received from SFHS 2012 Graduate Mark Weber, who was Nick's "Big Brother:"

Nick called me his big brother, and I called him my little brother. He really was a little brother to me. I always wanted a little brother, someone that I would set an example for and teach lessons about life to. And although I did do that for Nick, I honestly believe he did that more for me.

Nick is honestly one of the best guys I have ever met in my life. He was so genuine and caring and humble and he had the biggest heart. Every day at school he would make sure that he found me and talked to me, even if it was for a couple minutes. At every band event, I always wanted him to be my bus buddy or my roommate. He was so much fun to be around; he would always spread his humor and love to everyone. Then there was band senior circle, where he said something about me. He made me tear up, and I have never had someone say such amazing things about me – a memory I will never forget. He said that rooming with me in Italy were some of the best days of his life, and I’d have to agree with him there. I remember we were staying with our Italian family, who spoke zero English. I would always be in my room sitting on my bed like a loser and I would wonder where Nick was. Every time I walked downstairs he would be having full conversations in broken Italian with the family and his translation book, and I was just amazed that he put so much effort into making relationships with people he barely knew. It just goes to show how big his heart is.

My head is clouded with visions and memories of him. I remember all of our good times in Italy, late night conversations, bus rides, our
pillow fight in Vallejo, our New York Pizza date, band classes, the list goes on. He came to graduation and he hugged me and the last thing he ever said to me was, “I’m so proud. I love you big brother.”

Part of me wishes I wasn’t as close to Nick as I am, so it wouldn’t hurt this much. But I know how stupid that is because he had such a big impact on my life in ways I’ll never be able to put in words. I wish I could conjure up words that really describe how great of a person he was, or how much he means to me, but it’s nearly impossible.

He was going to go far in life, I always told him that. He was one of the best drummers I had ever seen play, and a great soccer player and student as well. His dedication and drive was uncanny. I feel like
time should stop, like the world should stop with the passing of such
a great kid. He touched the lives of countless people, and will forever remain in their hearts. You will be missed Nick Juarez. Rest In Peace.

Mark Weber