Parker’s boyfriend, Chris Hurst, an anchor at WDBJ, took to Twitter to express his sadness and shock.

Hurst said that even though their relationship was not public, they were very much in love, and had recently moved in together.

He also said that they had just celebrated Parker's 24th birthday, and that she was the "most radiant woman" he'd ever met.

Hurst said that the nine months they'd spent together as a couple was the best nine months of their lives. They planned to marry.

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Rebecca Ramage-Tuttle, assistant director of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia, says the the DOE rule change is “a slippery slope” for civil rights. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC