LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas community came together Saturday to honor UNLV professor Dr. Naoko Takemaru.
Dozens of her students, colleagues, close friends, and neighbors gathered outside her home in the East Valley for a vigil. Flowers, candles, and messages of love were left on the doorsteps of the late professor.
“She was just a very good person from the very first time I met her," said Suzy Roe, Dr. Takemaru's friend.
Takemaru is one of the three professors who were tragically killed when a gunman opened fire on UNLV's campus on Wednesday, Dec. 6.
The other victims were Patricia Navarro, 39, and Cha Jan (also known as "Jerry" ) Chang, 64.
“I broke down. I broke down because a person like her, you can’t not feel warmth for them. Because she just generated warmth for anybody," Roe said.
Roe said Takemaru was passionate about her students and the environment.
"She'd go, 'Don't buy any cans. Buy everything in paper products, and you can use a little bit of plastic,'" Roe said.
There were many former and current students who stopped by to pay their respects. Tears fell down their faces as they placed the bouquets of flowers at her home.
"We all loved her," said Ricardo Rodriguez, Takemaru's former student.
Rodriguez said he was able to speak to Takemaru before she died. He said she encouraged him to continue learning Japanese.
"I will honor her last wishes; I will get the Japanese minor. I had stopped in the pandemic because money was tight," Rodriguez said. "I am going to honor her last wishes and start the next fall semester and finish the minor."
Rodriguez said she was like a grandmother to her students and misses her dearly.
“Our philosophy was don’t be sad when someone passed away. Be happy that you got the honor to meet them," Rodriguez said.
People at the vigil said it was heartwarming and healing to see the dozens of people who showed up for her Saturday night.
“To see so many people that knew her and loved her come out tonight, I’m very proud of them," Roe said
