HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – “She (Juliana) was just a bright spirit, a bright soul, always having a smile on her face. She was always willing to help people at the detriment of herself,” says her uncle Michael Williams of Henderson.

Michael Williams had known that his niece Juliana, nicknamed “Jaeana” or “Jae” to those close to her, was working at an Old National Bank in Louisville when the news broke of the shots fired. Her uncle had no idea which branch she was at, as she was in her first week on the job and still settling in. But when multiple calls went unanswered, Williams began to worry.

“I thought to myself, she just started a job maybe she’s training…At approximately about 10 a.m., her sister called me and said ‘Unc, Jaeana is one of the people that got shot,” says Williams.

As the dread settled in, Williams took a deep breath and did the only thing he could do in that moment.

“Panic is the first thing I think you do, but I gathered myself… I’m a person of faith, so I just began to pray, for her, and for everyone involved. There was just so much stuff going out,” says Williams.

Williams says his niece was a motherly figure not just to her own children, but great to all who came to her with their problems.

“She was a rock for people that. Not just the hopeless; just someone to go to and say ‘hey, I can lay this on you and feel safe that you can handle it,'” says Williams.

A recently published study shows that 1 in 5 Americans are affected by gun violence, and has been trending higher in 2023.

“This whole community knows someone that was a victim of a mass shooting. Not just gun violence, a mass shooting. She just went up there to better herself, and in the blink of an eye in turns to tragedy…This is a heart thing, and hearts have to start changing that where we get back to loving people unconditionally, and that’s how things change,” says Williams.

Juliana Farmer leaves behind her loving family, children, grandchildren, and countless friends and co-workers. Visitation will be at Tomblinson Funeral Home in Henderson on Friday, April 21st from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Services will be held the following morning on April 22nd at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 11 a.m.

Old National Bank has confirmed they will be handling all funeral costs for the victims.