Laura Gillett, 32; mother of
two was 'like a big kid'
Laura Gillett, 32, could draw a
pretty good Tweety Bird.
Her life in Pembroke, Mass.,
focused on her kids, 6-year-old Jake and 3-year-old Jared. And she seemed to
understand children well.
"She was like a big kid. She
loved the Looney Tunes" cartoon characters, says her brother, Michael Paterno,
of Milford, Mass. "One of the things she used to do was draw Tweety Bird --
drawing cartoons and doing crafts with the kids.
"Neighbors always saw her
around the yard, out making sledding runs. Family was always her top
priority."
Laura also loved cats. She
brought one home from a local shelter and named him Petie, Michael said.
"I miss her greatly. I always
want to make sure I have the same attitude toward my two children."
Laura helped build the Hobomock
Elementary School's first wooden playground, another example of her commitment
to kids.
She was a claim representative
at Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Rockland, Mass., often working night shifts to
support her children, Michael said. She lived in the house where she grew up.
Laura was dating Shawn Sweet,
of Pembroke, who was with her at The Station and also died in the fire. "They
were dating for like two years. They both had the same passion for the same
type of music. They spent a lot of time together," Michael said.
Carol Dodge, who lives across
from Laura on West Elm Street, said the small community of Pembroke is
devastated by the loss of two people. Laura's little daughter played with her
daughter, Dodge said. "They have been friends forever," she said.
-- Michael P. McKinney
Source Providence Journal
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