Woman who lost father in Monterey Park mass shooting shares grief journey: 'All you need is love'

MONTEREY PARK, Calif. (KABC) -- As the Monterey Park community continues to heal from a devastating mass shooting that claimed the lives of 11 people last year, many are still struggling to face reality, especially those who lost their family members.

Kristenne Reidy knows this all too well.

"The first two weeks felt like I wasn't even in touch with reality," she said.

One year later, Reidy is still dealing with the pain of losing her father in such a violent and tragic way. Valentino Marcos Alvero was one of the 11 people who died in the shooting at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio.

Since then, Reidy's journey hasn't been an easy one.

"I asked for help, you know, weeks after it happened, and I've been weekly going through therapy, and it's just ... it's been so great," said Reidy. "It's not only helped me go through the grieving process, it's helped me really appreciate life and people."

She said when she first heard about the shooting that day, she was on her way to church with her husband and children. At first, she couldn't imagine what was happening. She couldn't get a hold of her father.

"Because I know dad wouldn't flee and leave his friends if there was an emergency, and true enough, that was a case," she said.

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Reidy said her father loved his family and his Monterey Park community, and he spent his final moments helping his friends.

"He loved the ballroom community, so I'm sure he would've wanted to stay close to them," she said. "This death, as painful and tragic as it is for all of us, gave him the opportunity to show how heroic he was to the world."

Despite the pain, she thinks about the gunman and what he was going through that night.

"He must have been suffering through such darkness and pain for so much longer, before this ever happened, right?" said Reidy. "I can't help but also feel pity and compassion, because he was a fellow human being."

Reidy said she doesn't consider herself a victim. Instead, she's using her journey as a source of strength to become a champion for compassion.

"When I say, 'All You Need Is Love,' I know it sounds cheesy, and it's almost grating to hear that because my dad used to play that Beatles song when I was growing up, but it permeates all the little things in life," she said.