Valley man remembers one Oregon shooting victim

One of the victims in the Oregon college shooting had a connection to a man who lives in the Coachella Valley.

Kim Saltmarsh Dietz, 59, was a graduate of Mission Viejo High School in Orange County and one of her former classmates lives in the desert.

Chuck Amendolareached out to CBS Local 2 and News Channel 3 so Saltmarsh Dietz would be remembered not how she died, but how she lived.

“Kim is the type of person whose personality and smile transcended decades,” said Amendola.

Amendola and Saltmarsh Dietz both graduated in 1974 from Mission Viejo High School.

“Facebook has kept many of us from the class of 1974 in contact almost on a regular basis, ” said Amendola.

It was on Facebook Amendola and many of his fellow classmates realized something was wrong.

“Kim wasn’t responding to her parents telephone calls or emails or Facebook messages, and she was a student at the college, but you figure so many students there, maybe it was just a coincidence that she wasn’t answering,” said Amendola.

Saltmarsh Dietz, a student at Umpqua Community College, was one of the victims.

“At 59, she is going back to school to study some more. She didn’t let life pass her by, and now her life is taken from her. It wasn’t right,” said Amendola.

They haven’t seen each other in 40 years, but Amendola said their friendship in school has stayed with him.

“You meet certain people along your path in life, and Kim was one of those folks that you remember all these years later for being a wonderful person,” said Amendola.

They were in high school together during the Vietnam War. Amendola’s stepfather was overseas fighting. He says it was Saltmarsh Dietz who was supported him and lifted his spirits during those stressful times.

“Kim immediately was the type of student who would give you an attaboy and hi when your mind is stuck on hoping your dad doesn’t get killed. She left a lasting impression on me. A really, really good person all these years later,” said Amendola.

He doesn’t know what her last moments were but would like to think she was helping to comfort those around her the way she helped him so many years ago.

“I would like to believe her personally the person her parents raised her to be, made her strong for everyone else around her,” said Amendola. “No parent should have to bury their child. This probably could have been prevented.”