JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The man who delivered the eulogy for the murdered Jacksonville man who died with his twin granddaughters painted a picture of a loving family man of strong faith.
Travis "Jimmy" Hiatt, 49, was killed on Nov. 13 in the Oceanway community in what JSO called a murder-suicide. The shooter, Gawain "Rush" Wilson, was the father of 5-month-old twin girls.
JSO said Wilson shot Hiatt, his daughter Megan and the twin girls. Megan survived the shooting but lost an eye. She has undergone five surgeries and was able to attend the funeral for her father and her children on Monday while still in a hospital gurney.
George Carter, Hiatt's close friend, spoke at the funeral Monday.
"He was a tremendous person," Carter said. "He was great person that's what is so tragic about this, They took away one of God's chosen people."
Carter began receiving calls about Hiatt on Friday night.
"I couldn't believe it when I got all the phone calls on Friday night," Carter said. "I thought it was about the Paris tragedy, and the next morning when I found out, they were calling me about Jimmy.
"I just couldn't believe it. I cried all day Saturday."
Carter said Hiatt was willing to help out anyone in need. He was shot while helping his daughter move, according to 911 calls released last week.
"He was that kind of guy … anything you wanted him to do, he would do it," Carter said. "I wanted to move some heavy equipment one time from a garage to another garage, and he got out there and helped me.
"He smashed his finger [and we] we had to wrap it up. We put duct tape on it and he said "It's OK. Let's go."