HOUSTON (FOX 26) -
A Katy ISD teacher is packing her bags and headed for Connecticut.
She was supposed to be on her holiday break. Instead, she will be attending one of many vigils for the victims in Newtown.
One of those victims was her college roommate.
"We went to Eastern Connecticut State University together," Kristen Polakow said.
Polakow browsed through photos from a time she called "the best time of our lives."
She and Victoria Soto studied side by side and ended up living together throughout most of their college days.
"Going into freshman year, we both knew we wanted to do elementary education and we both were in the same education classes," Polakow said.
Before she knew it, the two graduated in 2008 and parted ways to follow their dreams.
Polakow moved here to Texas where she teaches sixth grade science at Cardiff Junior High. Soto stayed in their home state to work as an educator at Sandy Hook Elementary.
"She loved her job and she loved them and I was not at all surprised that she would do this … that she would protect them and give her life to save theirs," Polakow said.
Soto has been hailed a hero. She was one of six adults killed in the elementary school massacre after shielding her students from the 20-year-old gunman.
Polakow said it was an act that only reflected the type of person her friend was.
"Obviously it was heartbreaking, but I knew that's Vicki," she said. "That's what she would do. These kids were her life."
Even tonight, Soto continues to educate, this time about heroism.
"I hope that we can celebrate her life and what she did cuz it's amazing," Polakow said.
