Isaac Amanios, 60, wanted the American dream, and he had it. He and his wife Hiwet had three beautiful children and a home in Fontana.
"He came here so he could have a better life for his kids," Amanios' nephew Zeke Gebrekidane told NBC 4 Friday.
Armanios immigrated to the United States in 2000 from Eritrea, a small country in Africa between Sudan and Ethiopia. He and his wife picked Southern California to be safe. But, the violence followed. Amanios was one of the 14 victims killed in the Inland Regional Center Wednesday morning.
"We didn't know until 6:00 when he failed to call home," Armanios' brother Abraham said, adding that his brother was a health inspector for San Bernardino County who always called home after work. Wednesday, he didn't.
His wife and brother had been watching the news and assumed the worst. The two drove to four hospitals looking for him.
"They were not sure, they didn't have a patient by that name is what they said," Abraham Amanios said.
Nearly 24 hours later, the family got confirmation that Isaac was dead.
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"All he wanted in life was for his kids to succeed," Abraham Amanios added.
You might say that's a dream has already come true. His daughter Milka is a student at the University of San Francisco. Bruk is at Fresno State and Joseph plays basketball at UC Merced.
San Bernardino county officials said they are working with family members. Officials have set up multiple crisis centers in the county.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the college that Mikla attended.
