A series of photos capturing precious childhood memories still bring a smile to Brian Zubrick's face, even as he grieves his cousin's passing.
Kate Laporta was one of eight cousins in Zubrick's family that were closest to him in age. But earlier this month, she was shot and killed -- with Laporta's boyfriend charged in her killing.
"We were just very close growing up," Zubrick told News4. "We got to visit every Sunday, but we always wanted more than that."
Zubrick and the rest of their close knit family were stunned on the morning of April 18, when they learned Laporta, a resident of Fairfax County, had been shot. Her boyfriend, Huy Nguyen, has been charged with second degree murder.
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Police say he brought a mortally wounded Laporta to Mt. Vernon Hospital, at first claiming that she had been shot in the parking lot. But the 38-year-old was actually shot in a vehicle and then driven to the parking lot, police say. The gun was recovered later.
Zubrick says hearing how his cousin died has added to his sorrow.
"I cannot stop thinking about how much terror her last moments must have been filled with," Zubrick said.
But he says gathering with family to share stories about his cousin has helped.
Laporta had her first child at a young age. But in the last seven or eight years, Zubrick says, she had really taken control of her life, wanting to provide for her kids.
That's why she dedicated herself to her job at a local Safeway, where she started as a bagger. She later became a checkout clerk, and was often asked to work as a supervisor.
Her hope was to get her two kids to college.
"Higher education was something that was always really important to our grandparents, that they enforced on their kids and imparted on us," Zubrick said. "So Kate talked a lot about it over the years."
Now, to honor her memory, the cousins have launched an online fundraiser. They say the money collected will go into 529 savings plans for Laporta's children.
Their efforts serve a twofold purpose -- helping them process their grief, while working to fulfill Kate Laporta's greatest wish.
