Last year I ran into the house after errands and taxi service to hear a message on my machine. My friend was just calling to see if I was okay and to make sure everyone in my family was safe. Not sure what she was talking about I called my mom to see what I was missing. She told me to turn on the tv to one of the news channels. And then proceeded to tell me that there were at least 2 people dead on campus and probably more.
As I sat in front of the tv watching images of very familiar places go by the count went up to 32 victims of a shooting rampage in Norris Hall…Norris Hall…where I took a couple of math classes and all of my foreign language classes…students locked behind the doors of McBride Hall…outside of West AJ…how could this have happened? My world seemed to tilt off its axis.
As the day wore on we came to know that all of our friends and family that were students and employees at the campus were safe…truly a blessing…but we felt the pain of the other families and friends that lost someone.
The victims were chosen at random, no particular pattern could be seen except for the community that they were a part of. There were musicians, dancers, engineering students, language students, professors, grad students…a completely random act of senseless violence.
As we sat captivated and awe struck by the violence it became clear that the gunman was not only attacking the student body and faculty but the entire university. How sad that this young man felt the need to take the lives of 32 people. How beautiful, the stories of heroism…Dr. Librescu, a Holocaust survivor, blocking to door to his classroom to save the lives of the students there with him…
But we were not destroyed. We rallied. We prayed. We wrote poems and songs and tributes. We made videos to honor the injured and the dead. We lit candles and we gathered and we held on to one another. We chanted…Let’s go Hokies!…Let’s go Hokies!…Let’s go Hokies! And we all showed that we were strong and united…a maroon and orange nation, held together by love of where we came from and where we are going. We showed that we could weep…We showed that we could stand in the face of adversity.
And now a year later…we still remain strong, united, saddened by the tragedy but stronger than ever…
I read earlier today that at freshmen orientation students were told that people will ask them the perpetual question: What is a Hokie? The correct answer is I am, I am a Hokie. If you said a prayer or sent out a good thought or shed a tear that day one year ago then YOU are a Hokie now too.
I know I quoted her in my post yesterday but the words of Nikki Giovani really sum up how I feel today. The same short excerpt here but if you didn’t watch the video yesterday please do because what she said is more than profound, simply stunning.
“We are strong and brave and innocent and unafraid. We are better than we think and not quite what we want to be.”
We are the Hokies! We will prevail! We are Virginia Tech!
Update: Here is the link to the Day of Remembrance webcasts
10 responses to “One year later…”
transplantingme
April 16th, 2008 at 06:50
wm – thinking of you today. miss you.
thanks tm…miss you too.
Snolen
April 16th, 2008 at 07:02
One of my favorite sayings is “If God isn’t a Hokie, then why do the leaves turn maroon and orange in the fall?” I have a shirt that I love that says this and I believe on today God is truly a Hokie and he will help us all get through this.
Yes…our God is an awesome God and I will lean on Him today…
vthemi
April 16th, 2008 at 07:28
This past August’s freshman enrollment was the largest that has ever been at Tech. Take that for what you will…
I take it that everyone wants to be a part of the type of community the is the Hokie Nation…
Beef
April 16th, 2008 at 07:55
“We are strong and brave and innocent and unafraid. We are better than we think and not quite what we want to be.” I just love that quote because it is so true. Even through I did not attend Virginia Tech I have been a Hokie all my life and I still can’t believe something like this could happen here. Love the blog today it was great and you seem to be over the writers block.
A beautiful and apt way to describe us…
not Goth
April 16th, 2008 at 13:40
Thinking of you today. xox
“Dr. Librescu, a Holocaust survivor, blocking to door to his classroom to save the lives of the students there with him…” every time I read or hear about that it makes me want to weep.
Such bravery – what a human.
Thanks,ng. I know how you feel.
I just got an email from my cousin about remembering the police and others who worked the scene and ran into the building while the shooting was still going on…definitely worth mentioning and reminding everyone to do…
not Goth
April 16th, 2008 at 15:01
yes absolutely! we have this amazing picture of a cop sat on a bench with a homemade sign saying “need someone to talk to? I’ll listen” and he sat there talking to a student.
that sounds like a great picture!
taskforcedawg
April 16th, 2008 at 15:17
Nice again. Have fun at the dinner tonight. Hopefully Boom got in touch with you. Contacted the chapter pres here and they decided to wait to have a get together because they new the press here would cover it and it would take away from the campus coverage. Good call. Talk to you later—I love you—TFD
yeah–there hasn’t been too much said here today because the big news is the fires right now. Love you too!
Ccubed
April 16th, 2008 at 22:32
I’m very proud to be your friend! As I said yesterday! Eloquent, thought provoking, caring!
Loving!
Hugs!!!
C
Thanks! xo
Chanda
April 17th, 2008 at 06:58
I came over from Transplantingme, and I just wanted to say what a wonderful post this is. You do your alma mater a great honor.
Thanks Chanda. And thanks for stopping by.
Ruth
April 17th, 2008 at 09:44
Your blog this week has been a beautiful tribute.
Thank you for being so loving, Wm.
Thanks, Ruth.