Orlando mass shooting victim ID'd as college freshman aspiring to follow his father's footsteps

A University of Central Florida freshman has been identified as one of two revelers killed during a mass shooting at a Halloween celebration in Orlando.Timothy Schmidt Jr.had aspirations to “follow in his father’s footsteps as a successful businessman” before he was “tragically and innocently murdered,” according to a GoFundMe.His heartbroken father, Timothy Schmidt Sr., told The Post Saturday that his 19-year-old son, a talented soccer player, was “one of a kind” whom he had raised primarily as a single dad since the boy was 9 years old.“One month before I dropped him off for his summer session at UCF he was the best man in my wedding and gave the best speech ever,” his dad said.

“He brought everyone to tears.He was my mini me and my best friend.

We had such a special bond.”Schmidt Sr.said he’d already received more than 1000 messages from grieving friends and relatives of his son.“He didn’t have a bad bone in his body,” his father said.

“He was the kindest soul, always trying to help his friends and elevate his friends.”Schmidt, known by his family as Tim, was outside The Block, a seven-venue entertainment district in downtown Orlando on Friday when Jaylen Dwayne Edgar allegedly opened fire on the crowd of thousands of partiers.“It was a horrible lottery ticket to win,” Timothy Schmidt Sr.

said of his son’s random murder.“He was just out with his friends having fun.”“He was an extraordinary person, loving son, caring friend, talented soccer player, astounding teammate, kind soul, hardworking student and individual with an extremely warm heart and a witty sense of humor,” said student Jacob Egozi, who created the fundraiser on behalf of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Nu Delta Chapter of Central Florida.The UCF Student Government had previously shared taht a student was among the two killed, without identifying Schmidt.“An unwarranted act of violence injured several of our UCF family and took the lives of two individua...