Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi had the same terrifying experience as many parents in and around New Orleans on New Year's Day.
After learning of the terrorist attack that killed 15 people and injured more than 30 in the French Quarter early Wednesday, the 54-year-old New Jersey native panicked about the whereabouts of one of his teenage sons.
“I left my house this morning, I went to see if my son was home and he wasn't,” Rizzi told reporters Wednesday afternoon without identifying which of his three children he was referring to. 'Then I sat in that parking lot and found out there were a lot of victims, the first thing I did was find out where their location was.
“And luckily for me, he was sleeping at his friend's house,” Rizzi continued. “I'm blessed and I'm lucky, because there are other kids who didn't come home to their families last night.”
Rizzi spoke more than 12 hours after Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen born and raised in Texas, plowed a truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street early on New Year's Day. In addition to the dead, more than 30 people were injured. Jabbar was killed in a shootout with police after the attack about 3:15 a.m. on Bourbon Street near Canal Street, the FBI said.
Like many parents, Rizzi felt vulnerable Wednesday.
Darren Rizzi had the same terrifying experience as many parents in and around New Orleans.
Police vehicles are seen outside the Louisiana Superdome following Wednesday's attack.
“Personally, this affects me, because I have five children between the ages of 17 and 26 and I can tell you that early this morning, the first thing I thought was that my own son was out last night for New Year's Eve in this community,” he said. . 'My daughter was home last week and she was in the French Quarter. This hits the nail on the head.'
Seven victims have now been identified among the 15 innocent people who died in the horrific New Orleans terrorist attack.
A former college football star, a high school senior, a father of two, and a young mother are among the 15 victims who tragically died when Jabbar deliberately ran over pedestrians with an ISIS flag attached to his car.
Tiger Bech, 28, Ni'kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18, Reggie Hunter, 37, Nicole Perez, 27, Matthew Tenedorio, Kareem Badawi and Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, lost their lives in the senseless attack in the early hours of New Year. in the French Quarter.
Rizzi also spoke to reporters about his memories of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when two of his former high school classmates were killed at the World Trade Center.
“I went to a lot of funerals and memorials,” said Rizzi, who played at New Jersey's famed Bergen Catholic before enrolling at Rhode Island. “And every time something like this comes up, because you could see the smoke from the World Trade Center in my house, where I lived, and when I tell you it comes home, it comes home.”
Members of law enforcement work at the scene where a man driving a truck killed several people
Before replacing the fired Dennis Allen in November, Rizzi previously worked with Sean Payton, the coach who helped resurrect the Saints after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. For many, it was the team's Super Bowl victory 15 years ago that marked New Orleans' return to prominence.
Rizzi was quick to reference New Orleans' past resurrections when speaking to reporters Wednesday.
“This is what I know,” Rizzi said. 'I know that the community we live in, this city, this state, is one of the most resilient, if not the most resilient, in the entire United States. That has been demonstrated time and time again.
'I know they have stood up before, they will stand up again and support everyone. I also know this: This entire community has our entire organization behind them 100 percent. Our players, our coaches, our staff. Every member of this organization is here for this community.
“Everyone I asked about moving here, no matter what they said, they all had two things to say,” Rizzi continued. 'Number one, the food. Good? But the second was always the people. And it's the resilience of the people, it's the attitude of the people and it's the community involvement here that I think makes the people of this area what they are.
In the end, he would direct the conversation toward Katrina.
'Obviously, so many things have happened here (you know, natural disasters, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes) that this area has had to deal with. “We always, always, always come back and always, always, always find a way to get ahead,” he said.
“This is going to be a difficult time, but I'm sure the community will do the same in this case as well.”
While Rizzi is confident in New Orleans' future, his is less certain in the growing city, where he has worked since 2019.
The Saints are 5-11 heading into the season finale in Tampa on Sunday.
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who played briefly for the Saints, is rumored to be a candidate in New Orleans, although the team could also turn to offensive coordinator Klunt Kubiak, former Tennessee Titans head coach, Mike Vrabel, or the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins. Antonio Weaver.