The parents of a student slain during a shooting at a UNC Charlotte are remembering their son as reserved but witty in some of their first public comments.
Reed Parlier, previously identified by authorities by his first name Ellis, will be remembered at an upcoming family memorial service. His parents declined to give specifics to preserve the family's privacy.
Brian Parlier and Julie Parlier remember their son as a kind, quiet young man with a witty sense of humor. They said he was academically gifted and was studying IT software development in the hopes of becoming a game developer.
In some of their first comments since the shooting, Parlier's parents said in a phone interview that he spent summers volunteering as a tutor for younger programmers.
Brian Parlier called his son "a math man" who was exceptionally bright. The father recalled a meeting with his son's kindergarten teacher, who was astounded at his multiplication skills.
"He already knew his multiplication tables because I had been teaching him those at dinner since he was two, and she did not believe me," he said. "So I asked him ten multiplication problems in front of her, and he answered all of them correctly. And she was dumbfounded."
Parlier's parents said memories of his sense of humor have helped them to smile despite immense grief.
"When he was 2 years-old, he was telling complex jokes," his father said. "He'd blend into the background and all of a sudden he'd make some witty remark about what was going on that would just take you by surprise."
His mother, Julie Parlier, said Reed loved hiking and camping in western North Carolina. He was extremely close to his family, especially his parents and his younger sister.
"He was not your typical 19 year-old in that he liked to be at home," she said. "He was very affectionate."
Parlier was one of two students killed in the attack.
