The industry experienced its first known loss to terrorism.
Jared Tucker, from the Martinez, Calif.-based manufacturer Chlorine Genie, was hit by a vehicle that purposefully drove through a crowd in Barcelona, Spain, on the famous promenade called Las Ramblas, on August 17. He was one of 13 to lose their lives, and the sole American.
Tucker, 42 was on a delayed honeymoon celebrating his first anniversary with wife Heidi Nunes-Tucker. After visits to Paris and Venice, Barcelona was their last stop before going home.
His father is Chlorine Genie Founder Dan Tucker. “Jared was a special person, more than just a son,” Dan Tucker said in a statement. “He was a companion working with me in our family business all his life.”
Jared Tucker is also survived by his mother, Joanne; three teenage daughters; a teenage stepson; three sisters and a brother; and more than 20 nieces and nephews.
He was born in Walnut Creek, Calif., and remained in the San Francisco Bay area all his life. He began helping his father from the time he was 14, Tucker said.
Dan Tucker credits his son with helping to fine-tune and improve his company’s products. “He worked from Day One on the development of the Chlorine Genie units, and he was excited about the growth,” Tucker told PSN. “He’d built them, serviced them and installed them. We brainstormed with ideas how to do this better or make that better.”
He said his son was a dedicated worker who made things better for those around him. “He was a really hard worker… What he did, he did well,” Tucker said. “The people he interfaced with as employees or as customers all loved him. He had a really dynamic personality.”
The family is trying to come to terms with a tragedy that can’t be rationalized. “We are saddened to think that the senseless act of a ruthless terrorist has robbed him of the opportunity to experience the joy of a great marriage, watching his three teenage daughters grow,” his statement said. “In one tragic moment, the satisfaction of being a part of the growth of the company he loved has been taken.”
But in dealing with the loss, he is helped by a few things. First, his son was happy. “This last year and a half is the happiest I’ve ever seen him,” Tucker said. “When I look at those pictures that were posted … he just looked so happy.”
Secondly, his family has experienced an outpouring of support from the industry, his church community and people around the world whom they don’t even know. “[It] bolsters our hope in the basic goodness of humanity…” he said. “… Our family wants to express appreciation for the condolences we have received from many of you and thank you for your support and prayers.”
The family’s faith also helps: “I have a good feeling that I’ll see him again,” Tucker said. “I believe in life after death, and so that concept makes it a little bit easier to swallow this.
“It’s just working through it one hour and one day at a time,” he added. “That’s all we can really do.”
Memorial service arrangements are still being made.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for those wishing to contribute to a fund to help defray costs and provide for Jared Tucker’s children.
COMPLETE STATEMENT FROM DAN TUCKER:
My name is Dan Tucker. My son, Jared Tucker, was the only American killed in the senseless terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain.
Jared was a special person, more than just a son. He was a companion working with me in our family business all his life. Everyone who knew him loved him. He was a hard worker who never looked at a time clock. Just in the last 90 days, he was helping us with the difficult tasks required by NSF to prepare for certification this fall.
We are saddened to think that the senseless act of ruthless terrorists has robbed him of the opportunity to experience the joy of a great marriage, watching his three teenage daughters grow. In one tragic moment, the satisfaction of being a part of the growth of the company he loved has been taken.
We have witnessed a great outpouring of support from many people throughout the world, which bolsters our hope in the basic goodness of humanity, and we are grateful for our belief that we will see our son again.
Our family wants to express appreciation for the condolences we have received from many of you and thank you for your support and prayers.
