Community Corner

David Albrecht Remembered by Family and Friends at Candlelight Vigil

Friends and family release lighted lanterns into the night sky at Golden Gardens in memory of David Albrecht

Nearly 150 people came to Golden Gardens Park in Seattle Tuesday night to light candles and balloon lanterns to remember David Albrecht as a brother, friend and boyfriend.

Albrecht's family came to the United States from Russia in 1988, and David was born the following year, his brother Felix Albrecht said. He was the youngest of Viktor and Tatiana Albrecht's five children.

David Albrecht attended Shoreline schools and many of his friends from Einstein Middle School and Shorewood gathered Tuesday to tell stories about him and support each other.

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Albrecht was last Wednesday, Aug. 10, after he emerged from his family's home in the 700 block of N. 200th St. with a knife and 12-gauge shotgun. It was his 22nd birthday.

Albrecht died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the King County Medical Examiner's Office.

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His father had called police to report his son had a knife and was suicidal. Albrecht's girlfriend, Rachel James, had been cut while trying to get the knife out of Albrecht's hands.

"He was a great kid and all but he was going through some hard times," said Felix Albrecht, 31. "We're trying to remember him and prevent this from happening to other folks." 

Albrecht was diagnosed with cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, his senior year at Shorewood before he could graduate. 

"When he got cancer he was just finishing," Felix Albrecht said. "Cancer got in his way."

David Albrecht beat the cancer, but he was on Viocdin to deal with the pain, and he was still trying to get off the pills, his brother said.  in an incident last year involving police officers in Snohomish County.

"I've never went through anything as bad as he did," Felix Albrecht said. "He just needed help, the cops stopped him from winning."

Friends remembered David Albrecht as a goofy guy who could also be ladies man and worked at Aegis Living of Shoreline. One young woman recalled her first real kiss that came courtesy of David in eighth grade.

"The guy was one of the best friends I've ever had," Josh Jaramillo, who first met Albrecht when he was an eighth-grader at Einstein Middle School and Albrecht was a seventh-grader. "He liked to have fun and liked to make people laugh all these people are here for him so he had a lot of friends he didn't know he had. He didn't give himself enough credit."

Rachel James said, "David would always take care of someone else before himself."

Albrecht's older sister, Julia, thanked everyone for coming and their support.

"He was funny and such a good guy," she said. 

Albrecht's funeral will be at Evergreen Washelli funeral home, (11111 Aurora Ave North in Seattle) and is scheduled for,Thursday August 18 at 10 a.m. The funeral procession will start at noon from and he will be laid to rest at a cemetary in Edmonds. 

A memorial service will follow at 1723 Northwest 61st in Seattle. Food and refreshments will be available.  Donations will be accepted to help pay for the funeral costs.
  
A march/protest in front of the Shoreline Police Station is also in the planning stages to help make sure a similar incident doesn't happen again, Albrecht's friend and housemate Joel James said. 


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