Mom of Californian Student Killed in Paris: 'I'm Taking the Pain Day By Day'

The mom of Nohemi Gonzalez says heading back to work and keeping busy is helping her get through.

The grief-stricken family of the American student killed in the terror attacks in Paris is speaking out.

Read: Woman Who Played Dead in Concert Hall Attack: 'I Envisioned Every Face I've Ever Loved'

Nohemi Gonzalez, 23, a student at Cal State Long Beach, was gunned down in Paris restaurant.

Her mother, Beatrice and stepfather Jose own a barber shop in Los Angeles.

"She was a wonderful person with a big heart," her mother said.  

She went to work to try to keep busy in the wake of her anguish.

INSIDE EDITION's Jim Moret asked her grief-stricken parents: "How do you cope with this?"

"I am just taking the pain day by day. I don't know what to think or how to react or what to say because she was my baby," Beatrice said.

"I believe if I keep myself busy it is going to be easy for me to get over it." 

Nohemi, a first generation Mexican-American was living the American dream. She studied design and helped her mom decorate the family barber shop.

Nohemi's boyfriend, Tim Mraz, says he tried to reach her after the attacks.

When he couldn't, he contacted her parents.

Students at her college held a candlelight vigil for her in Sunday night. Tim spoke about her with her grieving stepfather at his side.

“She will always be in my heart and I think she will be in everyone else's heart, too. She'll still be roaming those halls like she always does,” he said.

Read: Boyfriend Mourns For American Student Slain in Paris

It may be weeks before the family can hold a funeral for Noehmi. Her body is being kept in Paris while the attacks are under investigation.

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