Paris-born COCC professor watches and worries

“My family still lives in France, so I was very saddened by the events,” Fleur Prade, a Paris-born Central Oregon Community College professor, said Monday. “Especially for Paris, which is were I was born — beautiful City of Lights.”

Prade, who still has friends and family in Paris, said she learned about the attacks through her father, who was watching the France-Germany soccer game on television.

“He, on TV, heard the sound of the bombs and explosions,” Prade recounted. “He was like, ‘This is not normal.’ He called me and said, ‘Paris is being attacked.'”

She immediately contacted her other loved ones in Paris, to make sure they were safe.

“First thing I did, like most of people in France, was I went to Facebook and social media to see what people were on,” Prade said.

Thankfully, all of her friends and family were safe.

“I was very worried, especially because where this happened, that’s a neighborhood where a lot of people go,” Prade said.

The shock waves have rippled far beyond Paris.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Monday ordered flags around the state flown at half-staff until Thursday evening.

In a statement, she said: “I am sickened and profoundly saddened by the violence inflicted on the people of Paris, France. Those responsible must be brought to justice, and we must stand together as a nation and as members of a global community united against terrorism.”

Other Central Oregon visitors offered similar reactions. Andy Jamieson, who is visiting Bend from Australia, said, “I was a bit shocked to see these things happening again in Paris, particularly after what happened there in January (the Charlie Hebdo attack).”

Bend resident Michael Tighe said the terror attacks hit close to home for him.

“I worked in the (World Trade Center) south tower for two years in New York,” Tighe said. “I wasn’t there during 9/11, but it’s definitely something that can happen here.”

Central Oregonians and visitors NewsChannel 21 spoke with Monday expressed sadness over the events, but a decade into the war on terror, the shock and awe of such terror attacks has worn off for many.

“Honestly, in some ways, I wasn’t that surprised,” said Idaho resident Sage Pressman, on a visit to Bend. “It wasn’t that shocking, with terrorists attacks happening all over the world.”

Bend resident Chad Huber said the events made him hug his loved ones a little tighter.

“Over a decade now of having terrorist attacks and having them being repeated and on large scales, it’s just an ongoing frustration and sadness,” Huber said.

Many said they won’t change the way they live their lives, and they won’t let the terrorists win.

“I think that’s what the terrorists want — they want you to be scared,” Huber said. “They don’t want people to come together and support one another.”

Wearing a scarf from the Paris soccer team that plays often at the stadium where the explosion happened on Friday, Prade said French people are stronger than many might think.

“We’re going to try to live on and fight back, but fight back by living,” Prade said.