Portraits of the New York terror attack victims
Story highlights
- Two more victims identified: Darren Drake, 32, and Nicholas Cleves, 23
- Argentine national who lives in US remains in NY hospital
(CNN)Eight
people -- six foreign tourists and two Americans -- were killed Tuesday
in the deadliest terror attack that New Yorkers have seen since 9/11.
A
man drove a rented pickup truck down a crowded bike path near the World
Trade Center in lower Manhattan, crushing and striking cyclists and
pedestrians. In addition to those killed, about a dozen people were
hurt.
Here's what we know about those killed:
Nicholas Cleves
The 23-year-old software developer had recently started his first job out of school, one of his friends told CNN affiliate WABC.
"He
was a really, really kind, not heartless, intelligent and curious
person. We always had conversations about what he was studying at
school," Bahji Chancey told WABC.
Cleves recently graduated
from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. The college said in
a statement that Cleves also worked as an analyst and web developer.
"An
incident of terrorism that takes the lives of innocent people anywhere
in the world touches each of us in our fundamental humanity," the
statement said. "But the effect is more pronounced -- and far more
personal -- when our community is directly linked to such a horrendous
event."
Cleves grew up biking around the city and would bike everywhere around town, Chancey said.
Darren Drake
Drake, 32, was an avid reader and was always helping his parents.
"He had everything going for him. Everything you can imagine," Drake's father, Jimmy, told CNN affiliate WCBS.
Drake
lived in New Milford, New Jersey, but worked in New York as a project
manager for Moody's Analytics, an economics research firm.
When
his parents couldn't reach him hours after the attack, they drove to
Bellevue Hospital in New York, where they were told he had died.
"At the moment, I just lost it," Jimmy Drake said. "You see the child you loved for 33 years."
Darren Drake would have celebrated his birthday in two weeks, his father said.
Drake
was remembered as "a good man with a soft touch and huge heart" in a
statement released by the New Milford Public School District, where he
served on the local board of education from 2009 to 2013.
"He
is respected for his unwavering commitment to the children of New
Milford and their education," Superintendent Michael Polizzi wrote of
Drake. "In addition to his insights into the needs of students, he
brought to the board significant business acumen, intelligence and
humor. He was friendly, fully engaged and forward-thinking."
Ann-Laure Decadt
Decadt, 31, was traveling with her two sisters and mother in New York at the time of the attack.
The
Belgian mother of two died Tuesday night at New York-Presbyterian
Hospital, according to a statement from her husband, Alexander Naessens.
Ann-Laure Decadt
Decadt's mother and two sisters were not harmed, he said.
She had been cycling on the bike path when she was hit from behind by the truck, CNN Belgium affiliate VTM reported.
Decadt
"was a fantastic wife and the most beautiful mom to our two sons of 3
months and 3 years old. This loss is unbearable and difficult to
understand," Naessens wrote.
Five friends from Argentina
The
group had traveled thousands of miles for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to
celebrate the 30th anniversary of their high school graduation.
Hernán
Diego Mendoza, Diego Enrique Angelini, Alejandro Damián Pagnucco, Ariel
Erlij and Hernán Ferruchi died in the attack, Argentina's Foreign
Affairs Ministry said.
Five Argentines killed in Tuesday's attack posed with friends at an airport before they traveled to New York.
The men were from Rosario, a town nearly 200 miles northwest of Buenos Aires.
Jose
Nunez, a representative in Argentina's national congress, was a friend
of Erlij's. He told CNN en Español that Erlij was a successful
businessman who loved his family of four children.
"We are losing a great man, a great businessman and a great family man," Nunez said.
On
Twitter, Argentine President Mauricio Macri said he was "deeply moved
by the tragic deaths ... in NY. We put ourselves at the disposition of
the families of the Argentinian victims."
President Donald Trump tweeted late Wednesday that he had a conversation with Macri.
"Just
spoke to President Macri of Argentina about the five proud and
wonderful men killed in the West Side terror attack," Trump said. "God
be with them!"
An Argentine
national who lives in the Boston area, Martin Marro, was injured during
the attack. He is still hospitalized. He was told Thursday that his
friends had been killed, Argentinian Consul General Mateo Estreme said
at a news conference in New York.
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correctly spell the name of Ann-Laure Decadt.
