Victim was 'pride' of her family

Catalina Garcia was the baby of the family, known as "Cati'' and described by her loved ones as a "princess.''

She loved to dance, listen to music and enjoy life every day, her brother Jaime Garcia said.

Garcia, 20, the youngest of four siblings from Cicero, was studying at Northern Illinois University to follow her dream of becoming a teacher.

A sophomore, Garcia was one of the five students killed Thursday in a shooting rampage by a former student at a crowded lecture hall on campus.

Her parents -- originally from Guadalajara in the Mexican state of Jalisco -- were still in shock Friday, as were other members of her large extended family in the Chicago area.

"This is not a way of dying," her father, Jacinto, said in an interview with a Spanish radio station. "It's so cruel."

Family members said Catalina Garcia planned to teach first grade, possibly back in her hometown.

"She was always happy,'' Jaime Garcia said, speaking alternatively in Spanish and English in interviews outside the family's home. "There was never a time she was unhappy.''

She grew up in Cicero and graduated from Morton East High School in June 2006. She took summer classes at Morton College before enrolling in fall 2006 at NIU, where her brother had studied. She had recently gotten a job at the campus Latino Resource Center, and looked forward to mentoring new students, her brother said. She also planned to join a sorority. She loved school, Jaime Garcia said.

She had been home last weekend and planned to return for her mother's birthday later this month. In a phone conversation with his sister Tuesday night, Jaime Garcia said, they talked about her classes, her job and staying warm.

After the shootings Thursday, Catalina Garcia's family couldn't reach her by phone. Her father came home from work to find his wife and their other daughter, Myra, in tears, but they still didn't know for sure what happened to her.

Jaime and Myra Garcia drove to campus. At 3 a.m., they learned that their sister had been killed.

Catalina Garcia's family members said education is important, and they hope the campus killings don't stop people from going to college. Everyone should "continue with your education,'' Jaime Garcia said. ". . . If not for themselves, for people like my sister who was doing this, but in the end couldn't finish.''

Funeral services had not been finalized, but a Web site, www.lb86.com, has been set up to help cover the costs.

Contributing: Laura Castro