Reflecting on a Major Tragedy and the Healing Process that Followed
It was a bleak and cold morning in Blacksburg, VA on the campus of Virginia Tech when events began to unfold that are still hard to conceive one year later. Before the day was done, though, the world would learn that Seung-Hui Cho had killed 32 people-students and professors--before turning a gun on himself. The full extent of the tragedy was slow in developing.However, as early as 7:30 a.m. the news broke that two bodies, Emily Jane Hilscher and Ryan Christopher Clark, were discovered at one of the residential houses on campus. Later we would learn that 19-year-old Clark died trying to defend Hilscher. But he was not the only hero to die that day. Many other students and professors risked and sacrificed their lives to prevent others from facing the inexplicable wrath of the 23-year-old gunman.
It was an overcast morning I will always remember because, ironically enough, about the same time the first shootings occurred, some ninety-miles away, I was writing a poem about the flower children of the late '60s. When I turned on my TV to get my daily douse of CNN, I was shocked as facts concerning the rampage began to unfold. Immediately, my interests in the rebellious youth of the past waned as my heart went out to the victims, their families, their friends and the entire close-knit community of Blacksburg.
I could almost feel a palpable sense of grief also pervade over the nearby campus of Ferrum College, affecting many of the students, staff and professors who I call friends. Again, I especially sensed the dread the news would cause the parents of the victims, as I thought about my own daughter-a recent college graduate.
Comments
Morris Stephenson
(Guest)
(Guest)
04/21/2008
Shea has "nailed" the Virginia Tech tragedy. My son is a associate professor there and "lost" two professor friends and a freshman in one of his classes that has taken its toll on him. Living within an hour of Blacksburg, a lot of people in the area spent many anxious minutes that turned into hours waiting to hear from relatives who were either employees or students during the shooting spree. Shea does a great job at any subject he undertakes
Posted 4-21 at 4:40 p.m.
Morris Stephenson
(Guest)
(Guest)
04/21/2008
Shea has "nailed" the Virginia Tech tragedy. My son is a associate professor there and "lost" two professor friends and a freshman in one of his classes that has taken its toll on him. Living within an hour of Blacksburg, a lot of people in the area spent many anxious minutes that turned into hours waiting to hear from relatives who were either employees or students during the shooting spree. Shea does a great job at any subject he undertakes
Posted 4-21 at 4:40 p.m.
Morris Stephenson
(Guest)
(Guest)
04/21/2008
Shea has "nailed" the Virginia Tech tragedy. My son is a associate professor there and "lost" two professor friends and a freshman in one of his classes that has taken its toll on him. Living within an hour of Blacksburg, a lot of people in the area spent many anxious minutes that turned into hours waiting to hear from relatives who were either employees or students during the shooting spree. Shea does a great job at any subject he undertakes
Posted 4-21 at 4:40 p.m.
M Ross
(Guest)
(Guest)
04/20/2008
Shea really helped me connect with the tragedy and to rise to a higher level besides just shock and horror. It takes a lot of courage to have love and compassion for the dark side of what humans do.
jeff hirsch
(Guest)
(Guest)
04/19/2008
a powerful and well-written and evocative story. unfortunately, the daily news brings horrors of lots of mass murders, atrocities, disasters, and the like. Mr. Le Mone has managed not to be habituated and numbed by all these sad events, and he still has the ability to connect, feel, and empathize. Well-done, Mr. LeMone.
ld dixon
(Guest)
(Guest)
04/19/2008
An excellent accounting of a tragic tale, dare I say it... the shooter was a victim of behavior modification, albeit mind control.
There is a dark agenda amongst us.... the seemingly insane to the majority of us, has been long pre-ordained by those who exist in a different page, so to speak. C. LeMone's skills of evoking vivid images via words is nonpareil to say the least.
Kudos LeMone, your words are needed.
Dear Emily C,
I thank you for sharing your thoughts here. I know love and compassion run in your family. And I will always be grateful that I got to spend some time in the presence of your father, Dr. Gooch. Roanoke, and the surrounding area, will forever be indebted to him for bringing so many children into the world.
Emily C
(Guest)
(Guest)
04/18/2008
Shea, as always your words express the feelings of us all. It is important to remember what happened and not take life too lightly. Each day is a gift. I attended my nephew's graduation last May and the impact of the event was everywhere. Nine honorary degrees were awarded to students in his department. I wept as a bell was rung and a family member came up to receive the diploma. This was done for every student one at a time. Squires Hall was covered from top to bottom with letters, drawings and even quilts from students all over the country. i will never forget the emotion that consumed everyone of us.
tatabarbara
(Guest)
(Guest)
04/18/2008
I think anyone with a college-age child thinks twice about their kid being safe at school because of this incident and others like it.
I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to comment about my article. I was touched to find so many people agree that our society needs more love, compassion, forgiveness and understanding to combat the forces of evil. I hope you all will return next week when I explore race and poverty in America, 40 years after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Comments 1 - 10 (of 17)
Next >>
|
|