Anthony Stephan House, the son of a prominent Austin pastor, was the first victim killed in the Austin blasts.
“Steph was a giving, generous, and loving husband and father as well as a beloved son, brother, uncle and friend to many. His death has left his wife and their young daughter traumatized by his loss as well as emotionally devastated. His wife will now have to face life as a single parent as well as reassemble her home and finances to now raise their daughter alone, according to a GoFundMe page, which has raised more than $30,000 for his family.
House, the son of prominent area pastor Rev. Freddie Dixon, had an 8-year-old daughter and a wife. The family attended church, Wesley United Methodist, with another victim, 17-year-old Draylen Mason. Mason’s family were prominent members of the church as well.
“Draylen Mason, a disciple of Christ, musician, aspiring neurosurgeon and black belt martial artist ascended to his heavenly Father at the age of 17 due to a senseless package bomb left on his doorstep by a lost soul,” according to a YouCaring page. “Draylen was preparing for his morning workout with his mother, Shamika Wilson, when they both became victims. His grandmother, Sandra Jones, watched as he took his last breath. Our hearts grieve— we were preparing to send him off to the university of his choice, but now we are now faced with the need to plan a life celebration to honor his legacy as a member of the Austin Youth Orchestra, Austin Sound Waves and other community service organizations.”
The church has been deeply affected by their deaths.
“They were pillars of the community,” says Machree Gibson, a sixth-generation congregant. “It’s tragic that it would happen to them; it’s tragic that it would happen to anybody.”
Mason was a “most remarkable talent” on orchestral bass, People magazine reports. He was also enrolled at the University of Texas next year, says College of Fine Arts Dean Doug Dempster.
“His gentle confidence seemed to come from a conviction that hard work and talent was going to work for him,” Dempster says. “It did.”
The alleged bomber, Mark Anthony Conditt, blew himself up this week after packaging multiple incendiary devices and mailing them throughout Texas.
See an error in this article?
To contact us or to submit an article
