Texas Dad, 11-Year-Old Son Killed in France Attack
Sean Copeland and his 11-year-old son Brodie were among the dead
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A father and son from the Austin area were among the scores killed in Thursday's truck attack in the French city of Nice, NBC News reported.
A family representative told NBC News that 51-year-old Sean Copeland and his 11-year-old son Brodie were killed. The Copelands lived in Lakeway and Brodie had just finished the fifth grade.
Joe West/303 Photos
Brodie Copeland, left, with his father, Sean Copeland, who were both killed in the Nice attack.
"This is a very difficult time for our family as you can imagine but we are holding all comments until we are able to get our family back home," Sean's brother Troy told NBC News. "Thank you for your understanding."
An earlier statement released by friend Jess Davis said the family was "heartbroken and in shock over the loss of Brodie Copeland, an amazing son and brother who lit up our lives, and Sean Copeland, a wonderful husband and father."
The family said both "are so loved."
Davis told the Austin American-Statesman the family had been on a European vacation and visited Pamplona and Barcelona before arriving in Nice to celebrate Bastille Day, France's national independence day.
The trip was partly a celebration of the birthdays of Sean Copeland’s wife, Kim, and his son from an earlier marriage, Austin. Kim Copeland, Austin Copeland and his sister, Maegan, are still in Nice. Two of Sean's brothers are to fly to there to bring the family home, the family said.
Late Friday afternoon, the Copeland family released the following statement:
Last night we watched the horrific event in Nice, France, where our beloved family members Sean, Kim, Austin, Maegan and Brodie were vacationing. Our worst fears were realized as we soon thereafter learned that we had lost Sean and Brodie in the attack. Our lives, along with so many others' in France, have been changed forever. The overwhelming support we have received from friends and strangers has been comforting, and we deeply appreciate your condolences and prayers. Our hearts go out to all of those in France and elsewhere who have loved ones lost or injured in this event, and we pray for each of you. We will not be offering any further public comment at this time, and we hope that you understand and will respect our privacy.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement Friday that the deaths of the father and son, along with at least 82 others in Nice, means "we must unite with our allies around the globe to end the scourge of radical Islamic terrorism."
The governor's statement said the French flag is being flown over the governor's mansion to remember the victims in Thursday night's attack.
Copeland was a vice president at the Lexmark Corporation. The family had lived in the Dallas area, in Prosper, before moving to Lakeway.
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French President Francois Hollande and his Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, left, take part in a minute's silence at the Interior Ministry in Paris, in tribute to the victims of the Nice truck attack, Monday, July 18, 2016.
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People observe a minute of silence on the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice, southern France, to honor the victims of an attack near the area where a truck mowed through revelers, Monday, July 18, 2016.
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People comfort each other at a makeshift memorial to honor the victims of an attack near the area where a truck mowed through revelers on the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice, southern France, on July 17, 2016.
French soldiers patrol on the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice, southern France, three days after a truck mowed through revelers on July 17, 2016.
EMPTY_CAPTION"Assassin" is written on the asphalt on the place where the slain attacker was stopped by police on the famed Promenade des Anglais, three days after the truck mowed through revelers, in Nice, southern France, on July 17, 2016.
Mourners gather on the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice, southern France, three days after a truck mowed through revelers on July 17, 2016.
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Members of the French community hold a vigil in Sydney, Australia, on July 15, 2016. A gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revelers celebrating Bastille Day on July 14, 2016, in the French Riviera city of Nice, in what President Francois Hollande called a "terrorist" attack.
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A member of the French community holds up a candle and a national flag during a vigil in Sydney, Australia on July 15, 2016.
Police officers, firefighters and rescue workers are seen at the site of an attack on July 15, 2016. On Friday, the truck was still parked where police bullets stopped the driver in a hail of bullets.
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A member of the French community holds a candle during a vigil in Bangkok on July 15, 2016.
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French soldiers stand guard in the French resort city of Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016. Papers in the truck identified the driver as a French-Tunisian man.
French police forces and forensic officers stand next to a truck in the early morning July 15, 2016, that ran into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, on the evening of July 14. The day is France's equivalent of July 4 in the United States.
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Rescue workers help an injured woman to get in a ambulance on July 15, 2016, after a truck drove into a crowd watching a fireworks display in the French Riviera city of Nice.
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People cross the street with their hands on their heads as a French soldier secures the area July 15, 2016,in Nice, France. A day later, the normally crowded promenade was empty.
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Police officers seal off the area where a truck ran through a crowd of revelers in the French resort city of Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016.
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Police officers and a soldier stand by a sealed off area in the French resort city of Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016.
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People hug each other in Nice, France on July 15, 2016. The French president, Francois Hollande, declared three days of national mourning.
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Police officers and rescue workers stand near a truck that authorities and witnesses said plowed into a crowd after a fireworks display in the French city of Nice on Thursday, July 14, 2016.
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Police officers and rescue workers arrive at the scene of a deadly incident in Nice, France, on Thursday, July 14, 2016.
Twitter/@yvnnick
A still frame from a video apparently shows people running in the street at the entrance of the old city in Nice, France on July 14, 2016. Local reports indicated a truck ran into a crowd watching a fireworks display.
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Police officers stand near a van that authorities and witnesses plowed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera city of Nice on Thursday, July 14, 2016.
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Police officers speak with a soldier in Nice in the wake of a deadly incident on Thursday, July 14, 2016.
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Police officers and firefighters arrive near the site of a deadly incident on Thursday, July 14, 2016, in the French Riviera city of Nice.
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In this photo released by French authorities, French President Franu00e7ois Hollande met with Prime Minister Manuel Valls regarding the situation in Nice, France.
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A man walks with his hands up as police officers carry out checks on people in Nice, France on July 14, 2016.
Harp Detective via AP
In this Twitter video grab provided by Harp Detective on Thursday July 14, 2016, people run out from the scene after a truck drove on to the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of revelers whou2019d gathered to watch the fireworks in the French resort city of Nice.
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A helicopter flies over emergency responders and police in Nice, France on July 14, 2016.
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A soldier stands guard in Nice, France on July 14, 2016.
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Police officers carry out checks on vehicles in the center of Nice, France, after a van drove into a crowd watching a fireworks display on July 14, 2016.
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An ambulance and police officers are seen after a truck drove on to the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of revelers who had gathered to watch the fireworks in the French resort city of Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016.
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Bodies are seen on the ground on July 15, 2016, after a deadly attack on Bastille Day in Nice, France.
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Bodies are seen on the ground July 15, 2016 after dozens were killed in Nice, France, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday July 14.
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A body is seen on the ground July 15, 2016, after a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday July 14. Editor's note: This image has been blurred to obscure the face of the victim.
Members of the Hill Country Baseball Club posted on Facebook a photo of Brodie playing in the water, saying it was sent from the French Riviera the same day as the attack.
"Nobody deserves this type of fate, especially not such a wonderful family," the club wrote. "You are in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers. Rest in peace, Brodie and Sean, you will be remembered by many."
A niece, Heather Copeland, tweeted about their deaths, and asked for prayers for her family and all of the victims of the attack.
The superintendent of the Lake Travis Independent School District, Brad Lancaster, said that he did not yet know whether the district would hold a vigil or memorial for Brodie Copeland. He would first want to talk to the family, he said.
But he said that he did know that the community would embrace the Copelands when they returned.
"They will be well loved….most importantly well prayed over," Lancaster said.
Fifth-grade teacher Coleen Serfoss said that she would find it extremely difficult to explain what had happened to the other children. Of Brodie's death, she said: "I was hoping it was a dream."
At least 84 people have died, 10 of those children and teenagers, after a man driving a rented refrigerator truck plowed through the crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day.
