Amy Janette Pacheco was the epitome of pursuing your dreams.
She was always looking forward to what she wanted to do when she grew up through doing schoolwork, studying, getting ahead, said Rosa Pacheco, Amys mother.
Rosa said her daughter loved school, including the ROTC, which she participated in during high school and while in Company B-1 of the Corps of Cadets.
Amy dreamed of attending A&M since she was in 8th grade. She came to A&M to study construction science.
Her goals, she actually pursued them, Amys friend Elizabeth Sanchez said. When she was small, she always talked about how she wanted to be in the Army and she tried to accomplish those goals.
Amy also entertained the idea of pursuing a career as a sound engineer, a reflection of her love for music and playing the oboe.
I think she played the guitar too shed always said she wanted to play, Sanchez said. I would always see her practice even though she didnt know how to play, but she practiced and practiced.
When Amys family visited her at A&M, her mother said she loved getting to see Amy thrive as a cadet.
I would just sit back and enjoy how happy she was being with the Corps just enjoying how she would interact with her peers, Rosa said. She was just awesome.
Friend Kenya Ramirez remembers Amy encouraging her to go for what she wanted to in life, to not give up on anything.
[Amy] would always tell me, Im going to get a house, get married and have a lot of kids. But first I want to go travel the world, Ramirez said. She actually told me one time, You know what Im going to have in my backyard? Im going to have a lion. Im going to have a huge cage and Im going to train it.
Amy loved to make new friends and encourage them.
She was just a joy to be around, she always had a smile on her face, Rosa said. She was always counseling, making people feel better and telling people not to worry and that it would work out.
Sanchez said if anyone ever did Amy wrong, she didnt get upset, but was quick to forgive them.
God was a big deal for her, Sanchez said. God was always in her life. God was the number one thing in her life. She didnt say it much, but she showed that with her life.
To friend Adlina Cruz, Amy has been like a sister since they were young.
Our parents went to the same church, and from then on we were inseparable, Cruz said. Amy, Kenya [Ramirez] and I would take [church] classes together this was when we were babies. I have a picture of my mom holding me, Amys mom carrying her, and Kenyas mom carrying Kenya.
Amys personality helped create memorable adventures.
Amy was just crazy, wild and fun, Cruz said. She wanted to go to all these places. She would always want to do all these crazy things and Kenya and I were like, No, Im too scared, but we would always end up doing all of them because of Amy.