WINDER, Georgia − Last week, Cristina Irimie’s mother was at her home in a small Romanian village when she heard church bells ringing, signaling that someone in the community had passed away.

To her shock, she discovered that the bells were tolling for her daughter, a math teacher at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Cristina Irimie was tragically killed last Wednesday, being one of four victims in a school shooting that involved a 14-year-old facing murder charges.

Just a few days prior, Anuta, Cristina’s mother, had left Georgia after visiting her daughter and the vibrant Romanian Orthodox community in the Atlanta area. Now, miles away, the bells in Apoldu de Jos, her small village of 1,100 residents, rang with sorrow.

George Acsente, the pastor of Saints Constantine and Helen Romanian Orthodox Church in Lilburn, Georgia, recounted, “She heard the bells and asked her son, ‘Has someone passed away?'” It was then that her son, who is also Cristina’s brother, broke down and told her the heartbreaking news.

In the unfortunate incident at Apalachee High, two teachers and two students lost their lives. The shooter, 14-year-old Colt Gray, is charged as an adult with four counts of murder. His father, Colin Gray, faces charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, and cruelty to children for enabling his son to access the AR-14-style rifle used in the attack.

Georgia is home to over 8,000 members of the Romanian community, with a close-knit group located northeast of Atlanta. This is where Cristina and her husband Dorin actively took part in community and church events, preserving the connection to her roots in the Transylvania region.

Dorin Irimie is grappling with the violent loss of his wife. “He is incredibly angry,” Acsente revealed. “He keeps saying, ‘They took my baby from me.'”

“I tried to provide some comfort,” the pastor shared. “I was with him until around one o’clock in the morning.”

Cristina and Dorin Irimie first arrived in the U.S. 23 years ago, leaving behind the shadows of the Carpathian Mountains for the bustling Interstate 75 and Georgia’s flourishing economy. Cristina quickly became a well-loved member of the community, volunteering to teach traditional Romanian dances and mentoring students in math. She also joined other women in the church to cook traditional dishes, her friend Nicolae Clempus mentioned. For biannual Romanian festivals, she assisted children in preparing for dance performances.

There is a service planned for Cristina Irimie at their church on Saturday, and while Dorin may attend, Acsente expressed, “I truly don’t know how he will manage.”