Parents of 25-year-old Matthew Tenedorio, one of the many people killed in the New Orleans terrorist attack, recalled Thursday on CNN the final moments they had with their son before appearing to break down.
Early Wednesday morning, authorities said that 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar plowed his car into New Year’s celebrations on Bourbon Street, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens. On “Erin Burnett OutFront,” Lou and Cathy Tenedorio told CNN host Erin Burnett how the couple had warned their son about going into the area, but he reassured them not to worry before hugging them for the last time.
“We just were able to tell each other we love each other, you know, ‘I love you, Happy New Year. Text me when you get home,’” Cathy said. “‘Please don’t forget we’re going to be worried about you’ and, you know, ‘Why don’t you just stay local here on the north shore of the area instead of going to New Orleans?’
Lou then jumped in.
“And I said, ‘Son, please don’t go. It’s dangerous over there. It’s not the way it used to be. There’s a lot of crime. Please stay here,’” Lou said.
“He’s like, ‘Don’t worry about it, Dad. I love you.’ And we hugged, and he left.”
Cathy went on to say how she had eventually woken up and began to worry about Matthew. She then texted her eldest son who relayed that Matthew’s car was not back at the house.
“I finally spoke with his friend and [they] said, ‘Ms. Cathy, I’m so sorry to tell you this. Something terrible happened last night. We were a witness to everything. We were walking down Bourbon Street,’” Cathy said. “‘It just unfolded in front [of us]. We all got separated. We went into one bar, you know, one of the friends, the other friend, two blocks down into another bar. We can’t find Matthew.’”
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Lou said he and his wife continued to call their son. The couple told the host that some of Matthew’s friends said he ran into the chaos as Jabbar’s truck was driving through in order to help those already injured. The parents, though, said they have been unable to verify the exact moments with authorities, as the investigation is still ongoing.
“We wanted to see him. You know, we wanted to see what happened to him,” Cathy said. “I was able to show a picture and they had, of course, his driver’s license and his wallet. And they said, ‘Yes, your son is dead. He’s deceased.’”
Burnett then asked the couple how they’ve been emotionally dealing with the loss of their son. Lou said he had maintained his composure for his wife until Thursday.
“Last night my wife started crying as soon as we found out. I held my composure and I held her tight. I didn’t really cry — I did for a little, you know, maybe a few seconds, but I kept my composure and just supported my wife,” Lou said.
“When we got home, everybody was here, family, lots of family and friends supporting us, bringing us gumbo and all of this. But this morning the gravity of the situation really hit home. I just realized that I will never [see] my son again. I just broke down. Honestly, my heart is broken,” Lou said. “It’s just overwhelming. When it happens, you know, when it happens to your own, me personally, I start thinking, ‘Lord, what did I do? Why, you know, why this?’ It questions everything. You question everything.”
Before Cathy thanked Burnett for allowing them to tell their story, she said her son’s name means “gift from God,” adding that Matthew was her “miracle baby.”
Around 3:17 a.m. on Wednesday, Jabbar plowed his car through the festival crowd in New Orleans before striking a construction vehicle and later getting into a shootout with authorities, where he was killed. In a statement released by the FBI, Jabbar was confirmed as a U.S. citizen from Texas who also had weapons, an improvised explosive device, and an ISIS flag at the crime scene.
Despite an FBI special agent initially saying the incident was not an act of terrorism during a press conference, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell rebutted the claim, saying, “First of all, we do know that the city of New Orleans was impacted by a terrorist attack.”
(Featured Image Media Credit: Screenshot/CNN/”Erin Burnett OutFront”)
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