The two families killed in a mass shooting on Christmas Day in Grapevine were laid to rest Thursday at a private funeral service.
Azizolah "Bob" Yazdanpanah shot and killed his estranged wife, their two children, his brother-in-law and sister-in-law and his niece on Christmas morning.
Fatemah "Nasrin" Rahmati, 55; her daughter, Nargis "Nona" Yazdanpanah, 19; and her son, Ali Yazdanpanah, 14; Rahmati's sister, Zohreh Rahmati, 58; her husband, Mohamad Hossein Zarei, 59; and their daughter, Sahra Fatemah Zarei, 22; were killed.
Their close friends and relatives spoke about them and described both as generous and loving families. They said they still can't make sense of the tragedy that took place on Christmas morning.
Nasrin and Zoreh Rahmati's brother, Dr. Ali Rahmati is an orthopedic surgeon in London but said he was always close with his family in Texas.
"It has really affected my life, because I had three sisters and [now only have] one left," he said. "Nieces -- [I have] no one left."
Rahmati said he spoke with all six family members by phone Christmas morning and they seemed in good spirits.
"They all said they wished I was there," he said. "In some ways, I wish I was there, because I would have gone with them, too."
Rahmati said he does not hate the gunman.
"I think he was unemployed and has no future," he said.
When asked what could have motivated Yazdanpanah to commit the crime, Rahmati said it had more to do with financial and family situation than with his Muslim religion, Iranian background or conservative culture.
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"What has motivated him, I think, he has been unemployed for 12 years," Rahmati said. "He had no future."
A close family friend, Azar Shahbazi, agreed.
"I really do not think it was a cultural thing," she said. "I think he just went crazy. And I really don't think we should attach this to any beliefs or any culture. We really shouldn't be doing that.."
Those who attended the private funeral said it was tough but vowed to get through it with each other's help.
"You have to move forward; that's life," Rahmati said. "I don't think you can go backward."
A private memorial service was planned Friday afternoon.
School friends of Nona and Ali Yazdanpanah organized a public memorial Wednesday night at at Parr Park in Grapevine.
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