TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The horror in Parkland is very real for Plant High School senior Jack Shapiro.

A few weeks ago, he became fast friends with a funny, likable 17-year-old from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

That friend, Nicholas Dworet, is now dead. He was one of the 17 students and staff members of the school murdered in Wednesday’s shooting.

Shapiro is a competitive swimmer at school.

Just four weeks ago, he ended up on a recruiting trip to the University of Indianapolis with Dworet.

“He was a good guy, he’s really funny,” remembers Shapiro.

Dworet was also a competitive swimmer.

“It was the first time he’d seen snow, so he went out the next morning to make sure, he like, made a snow ball and make sure that he threw it at something. He was ecstatic about that,” recalled Shapiro.

They attended a swim meet at U-Indy.

“He was having a blast. He was really excited because that’s where he wanted to go,” explained Shapiro.

They flew to Atlanta on the same flight, and according to Shapiro, U-Indy was all Dworet could talk about.

Then came Wednesday.

A killer murdered 17 students and staff at Stoneman Douglas High School.

Thursday, at lunch, Shapiro learned Dworet was dead.

“I was just emotionally unstable, and the rest of the day I couldn’t think of anything else but him,” said Shapiro. “I just feel so bad for his family. I feel just terrible about what they’re going through right now and it’s just awful.”

Jack Shapiro just knew Nick Dworet would excel on the swim team at U-Indy. Now that won’t happen.

Shapiro plans to attend Florida Atlantic University next year, which is just minutes from where Dworet and 16 others lost their lives.

So many lives, so radically changed in an instant.

If you know of something that should be investigated, call our Target 8 Helpline at 1-800-338-0808 or contact Steve Andrews at sandrews@wfla.com.

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An official GoFundMe campaign has been created by the Broward Education Foundation. The funds raised will be used to provide direct relief and financial support to the victims and families following the shooting in Florida.RELATED COVERAGE-