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Daniel Pérez Cueva

Daniel Pérez CuevaDaniel Pérez Cueva was an outdoorsman who loved swimming.

Cueva graduated from high school at the Colegio Marista Champagnat in Surco, a district of Lima, Peru. He had attended the University of Miami but transferred to Virginia Tech a year ago because of its fine reputation.

"My son drew up an objective, and he did everything possible to reach it," his mother, Betty Cueva, told Peruvian radio station RPP Noticias.

Dr. Ionnis Stivachtis, director of the International Studies program at Virginia Tech said that Cueva, a junior, was one of the department’s brightest students.

"Actually, I had to recommend Daniel as an ambassador for the College of Liberal Arts recently. These ambassadors are the link between the college and the outside world. He was very involved."

"I had him in a class last year. He was a very good student.

"I knew him well because as the director, I have an open door policy. He’d just come by to say hello."

Mala Kumar, president of the International Relations Organization at Virginia Tech, said that he was an active member. "I owe him many thanks for all the time and effort he put into the club. He was poised to be an officer next year."

Kumar said that Cueva, an International Studies major, was deciding whether or not to turn his French minor into a second major.

"He had a dog, which he lovingly brought back and forth from Woodbridge (where his mother lives) to Blacksburg. Daniel was a fantastic, sensitive, smart human being, and a great dancer. He attributed that to his Latin roots," said Kumar. Cueva’s brothers live in New York and Florida, and a sister lives in Washington. His father, Flavio Pérez, lives in Peru and is trying to obtain a humanitarian visa to travel to the United States to be with his family.

— Lisa Crutchfield, Media General News Service

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