Issue date: 10/28/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Courtesy of Gerald Hawkins Scott Hawkins and his mother Elizabeth Hawkins pose during move-in day. [Click to enlarge]

Scott Gregory Hawkins, 23, will always be remembered as the friend everyone would love to have had.

Hawkins, the student killed Oct. 21 in his Sacramento State residence hall, the American River Courtyard, was a quiet man who loved his studies and the peace and safety he felt at Sac State, said his father Gerald Hawkins.

"He liked how peaceful it was, how safe he felt there," Gerald Hawkins said. "It is just so hard to say this now; he also just loved the new dorms."

Elizabeth Hawkins, Scott Hawkins' mother, said her son dealt with Asperger syndrome during his life. It made school difficult, but it didn't stop him from being kind-hearted and filled with love.

She remembered her son as the pizza-loving, loyal man who never hesitated to help others, and said he was always there for her if she needed anything.

"I'm his mother and all I had to do was say 'Can you do this for me?' and he would do it," Elizabeth Hawkins said. "He was never disrespectful; he would go out of his way for anybody."

Scott Hawkins was active in the community and went on mission trips to reach out to as many people as possible. He started attending East Valley Church in Orangevale just a few weeks ago.

"Scott was somebody who really cared about people," Gerald Hawkins said. "He was dedicated and was tremendously sensitive about others."

In addition to his love for serving, Scott Hawkins enjoyed studying the past. His knowledge and passion for history gained the respect of his parents and many others.

Gerald Hawkins said his son would often watch historical films and point out the inaccuracies he saw.

"He would say things like, 'That can't be true, they didn't have those sorts of things back then,'" Gerald Hawkins said.

Scott Hawkins came to Sac State this semester after transferring from West Valley College in the Bay Area. He was majoring in history and was pursuing a minor in Islamic studies.

For now, his parents are trying to cope with their loss and find out where to go from here.

"We have to deal with the nightmare of the horrifying facts," Gerald Hawkins said. "We always hoped we would never be the parents who had to deal with this."

Freshman kinesiology major Dustin Stumpf, also a roommate of Scott Hawkins, said he and his other roommates are still in shock about what happened.

"This totally changed our lives," Stumpf said. "It's totally going to change our living environment and how we view life."

Stumpf said he is in the process of writing something for their refrigerator that says that they will always stick together.

"It makes us a lot closer, like a family unit," Stumpf said. "In a sense, we have more of a connection. We're just trying to get through it together."

A memorial service will be held for Scott Hawkins at 5 p.m. Friday at the Good Samaritan Church, 19624 Homestead Road, Cupertino, CA, 95014. For information regarding the services, please call the church at (408) 253-0751.

Natalie Flynn and Brittany Bottini can be reached at news@statehornet.com.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools