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Va. Tech

For those of you from other states, it is important to know that Virginia Tech is a huge university attended primarily by in-state students. Large numbers of our neighbors, friends, coworkers, and family members are graduates. My sister is a graduate. My daughter is a freshman at nearby James Madison University with many friends at Tech. Her friend's sister was shot and has survived following surgery. Many of my friends have children who are Tech students. The grief and sadness is pervasive throughout the state. The students are arriving home since classes are cancelled for the week, and funerals are going to begin in a few days(a student from here was killed). The parents of current college students seem to be taking it the hardest. You feel helpless to protect your child why they are so far away. We are suffering here.
 
...and the world gets smaller and smaller. I lived pretty much across the street from Tech for several years, and I just found out the person responsible was a neighbor a street over from me in Centreville.

I won't go on about it, enough has been said everywhere else on the subject.
 
It's a small world...

I learned last evening that a young lady from Champaign, IL was amongst those who received a fatal injury.
 
Nothing to say, there is nothing to say sadly.
 
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Words cannot ever express our sorrow.
 
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One of my mechanical engineering students this semester is taking a semester off from VT (for medical reasons).
His sister (also an ME major at VT) was off campus when the shooting occurred.

I just talked to his Mom. We are all still in shock over this.

It is not lost on me that many of the victims were young engineering students like the kids I have.
 
A friend of my wife and I is a Tech Professor. I've known him for about 8 years, spent some good times at his home in Blacksburg. He's never at a loss for words and a very outgoing guy, plus a distinguished teacher. I called him yesterday to see how he was. For the first time, he was basically speechless. It was painful to converse with him, he seemed completely broken. He said he was going to counseling and didn't know how he'd ever get over it.

VA Tech is a major university and has a profound impact on this region. For example, there are about 35,000 VA Tech grads in the northern Virginia area alone, not to mention the rest of the state. Tech grads are everywhere, and in some areas of VA if you're not a Tech football supporter you'd better keep quiet! Loyalty to the school is amazing, and palpable.

I've spent many happy days and nights at Tech games and parties. Many of my friends from my hometown of Roanoke went to Tech. They're all permanently scarred by this event.

Maybe good things may arise from this monumental tragedy. Maybe our lawmakers will learn from it and support legislation that inhibits violence and the people who commit it. Maybe not.

I just hope that Tech can overcome and rise above it. This is very bad publicity. But, they're already off to a good start. The students interviewed by the press exhibit great bravery and are articulate and objective. I was very glad to see President Bush and the First Lady there, it meant a lot, I'm sure.

If you can, support the victims by observing the day of mourning tomorrow. Wear something orange and maroon, if you can.

I hope the healing begins soon.
 
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