Attacks in Paris hit close to home

A well known UTEP athlete, a former UTEP student and a Las Cruces pastry chef all have ties to France. They say shock and longing for peace were some of their reactions to Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris.

Thierry Marceaux, owner of Le Rendez-Vous Caf and French Pastry grew up an hour away from Paris. He says his relatives living there are ok, but he’s received an outpouring of concern and support from Facebook friends.

“A lot of people come here to my restaurant and a lot of people feel sorry you know. I was touched by that,” Marceaux said.

For others, fear after the terror attacks hits a little closer to home. UTEPalum Hugo Lippmann lives in the suburbs of Paris with his family. He says since Friday, they’re taking extra precautions.

“Going to the supermarket at 6 p.m. and going at 10 a.m. when there’s practically nobody…at least that’s what we’ll be doing, my family,” Lippmann said.

Randy Culpepper, who played basketball for the Miners, also lives near Paris. He learned of the attacks after a concerned call from his mother.

“Half of my mind I was thanking God that I wasn’t there, because I was supposed to go there for a few days just to relax,” Culpepper said.

Marceaux says he’s still trying to find out if old friends of his were caught in Friday’s massacres. His heart goes out to Paris, a city he knows all too well.

“I realized that when I opened up my restaurant, people like France, you got to realize that you know,” Marceaux said.