UPDATE: Childhood friends react to news of Lincoln High grad’s death
UPDATE:
Authorities in Leavenworth, Kansas said Lincoln High grad Heather Wunderlich was found dead in her home last week.
Her death is being investigated as a homicide.
Channel 8 Eyewitness News talked to two people who said they’ve known Heather since middle school.
“I’m still just kind of trying to process everything like everybody else because it just doesn’t seem like this is kind of real right now,” Rikki Wallace said. “And it’s just kind of a lot to take in.”
“Honestly, I was heartbroken,” Megan Hempstead said. “She is just an amazing person and she deserved so much better than that. I was heartbroken that she had to go through that.”
Both described Heather as someone who would lift you up, even if she was feeling down herself. They said they have fond memories of going to the movies and playing in the band with her.
“She always had this bright ball of energy and it was just pleasant to see her,” Wallace said. “We always knew that we were going to have a good time when we would see her.”
Heather was also a former medic in the Nebraska Army National Guard who earned the Bronze Star in 2007 for her service in Iraq.
When Channel 8 interviewed Heather in 2012, she said she had received the honor for rescuing two soldiers under fire. She talked about what it was like being in that situation.
“When you get on the battlefield and you see injured soldiers, you want to help them,” she said. “That’s what we deploy knowing what we’re going to do. We’re going to go over there and save people’s lives. Of course the adrenaline’s pumping but you just know that at the end of the day, that it’s your job to save their lives.”
Both Wallace and Hempstead said losing a friend like this shows the importance of reaching out to friends and checking up on them, because you never know what’s going to happen.
Authorities in Kansas said they took Heather’s 35–year–old boyfriend into custody on suspicion of second degree murder and another person has been taken in for questioning.
Channel 8 Eyewitness News will keep you updated on the investigation.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
A Lincoln High Grad’s death is being investigated as a homicide.
Authorities in Kansas said 35–year–old Heather Wunderlich was found dead in her home last week.
Megan Hempstead, one of Heather’s childhood friends, talked to Channel 8 Eyewitness News and said the news devastated her.
“Honestly, I was heartbroken,” Hempstead said over the phone. “She is just an amazing person and she deserved so much better than that. I was heartbroken that she had to go through that.”
Hempstead said she and Heather were close in middle and high school.
She said Heather was the kind of person who would lift you up even if she was feeling down herself.
Heather was also a former medic in the Nebraska Army National Guard who earned the Bronze Star in 2007 for her service in Iraq.
When Channel 8 interviewed Heather in 2012, she said she had received the honor for rescuing two soldiers under fire. She talked about what it was like being in that situation.
“When you get on the battlefield and you see injured soldiers, you want to help them and that’s what we deploy knowing what we’re going to do,” Heather said. “We’re going to go over there and save people’s lives. Of course the adrenaline’s pumping but you just know that at the end of the day, that it’s your job to save their lives.”
Authorities in Kansas said they took Heather’s 35–year–old boyfriend into custody on suspicion of second degree murder and another person has been taken in for questioning.
Channel 8 Eyewitness News will provide any updates as soon as they become available
