Massacre, 33 dead, largest shooting....
I never thought I would hear those words attached to Virginia Tech, one of my favorite places on earth. I used to joke that when I die, I want my ashes spread in Disney World and at Virginia Tech.
Both Ray and I graduated from Virginia Tech as did my twin brother. What happened on that campus yesterday is scary, sad, disgusting, heart wrenching...I can't even imagine what the parents of those killed think.
I sat at work yesterday and many people emailed me about the tragedy. I am a huge Virginia Tech supporter. Every football game is watched, my kids have matching Virginia Tech cheerleading outfits, my Mom wears a Virginia Tech Mom shirt. Those four years at Tech were the best present my parents have ever given me.
I had one class in Norris Hall, I had friends who lived in West AJ. In fact, my biggest memory of Norris Hall? I was sitting in that classroom in Norris Hall when I decided to pledge the fraternity I ended up meeting Ray in.
It kills me to watch TV and see Virginia Tech Massacre and the VT logo all over the screen. What also kills me is how they are harping on the fact that the students weren't informed after the first shooting at West AJ, and how they are blaming Tech officials for the second shooting. Let's get all the facts and figure out exactly why, how, who. How in the hell are they supposed to contact all the students? 26,000 that live all over on campus and off? I think they did what they could with the information they had. 26,000 students over 2,600 acres and 100 buildings? I do not think the president should be fired.
Sorry for the rambling post...My prayers and thoughts to those involved. What a sad, tragic day. The Virginia Tech campus will never be the same.
- Amy W
- I am a 30-something working mom with two daughters; Ashley is 7 and Audrey is 5. Come sit, stay and read my Family Story...
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21 comments:
Amy, I continue to pray for all involved and for you and your family. How tragic, how terrible. I can't even discuss it with HP, I just don't want to face it. I'm so tired of death. So tired of the waste. I'm so very sorry for your pain. I wish I could take it away.
Ditto on how I feel! I am so angry at all the finger pointing and what everyone did wrong. Let's look at what was done right and think about how many were saved. We do know that this crazy guy had a lot more amo on him! What is great and terrible at the same time is that the gunman is dead. It is great that he is no longer living since he killed so many but it is also terrible because we will NEVER know EXACTLY what happened or why.
~Your fellow VT Alumni and AKPsi Brother!
You were the first person that I thought of when I heard the news. I'm so sorry that this happened to a place that was of such importance to you...like I said in my post, I just couldn't imagine if this was my school.
I'm so sad for those involved...such a tragedy. I don't think the president should be fired, either.
When I saw this on the news, you were the first one I thought of.
Amy- I will pray for you as well as all those involved in the tragedy.
I thought of you when I first heard it yesterday because I remember you often talked about how much you loved it there.
For a lack of better words, it totally sucks, and I am at a loss of how such a tragedy could happen.
I agree with you - the way it started was with what they thought was a domestic thing, it wouldn't necessarily make sense to close the whole campus down for that. Not that they shouldn't have done something because the killer was still on the loose, but most people would assume, as they may have that the killer killed his girlfriend and then fled. I mean, the way they are coming at this President makes me wonder if everyone is just trying to blame someone.
I feel for him, he made a decision and it just simply turned out to be the wrong one.
oops, signed in with the wrong name on the last comment - it was me, Erin!
Amy,
You were the first person I thought of when I read this yesterday.
My heart just sinks when things like this happen.
I wish I could take away that awful feeling you have.
Nobody ever expected for something like that to happen at any school, let alone at Tech. How can anyone (school officals, law enforcement, etc) know exactly what to do in that situation? How can you plan for something like that? I think it is unfair to point the finger. Especially while there are so many grieving the loss of life. We have many friends that are Tech Alum and know their love, and yours, for the school will help see this tragedy thru. As a VA resident it is extra painful that this happened to close to home. My thoughts are with the entire Tech community at this time.
I knew as soon as I saw the first reports yesterday that this would affect you deeply. I think you're right about how the situation was handle. They did the best they could with the facts they had! Pointing fingers will not change what happened. They need to look at it and think about how they can change things, not only there, but on college campuses all over this country.
Anyone can walk right onto a college campus. Anyone. The University of Memphis is 1,160 acres with 202 buildings and even though they have campus police, they cannot be everywhere all the time.
This was a very very sad tragedy and I cannot imagine what those affected are going through. I just hope this never happens again anywhere.
So sorry this happened. I to thought of you last night as I was watching information on the news (although I turned it off when the kids came in, they just don't need to hear about this kind of stuff). I found out about it first though when I came over to your blog yesterday to check your fun monday and saw your message. Really I am so sorry about this. I do understand a bit as my younger cousin was in high school at Thurston HS in Colorado when they had the school shootings there. It just never makes any sense...its scary to me to think about though this kind of stuff just seems to happen to often.
I agree that it is wrong to blame the president of the college, I mean how could he have known? There really is no sense in blaming other people or what could have been done different. Its happened so now its time to step back and figure out how to help these people and then discuss prevention.
Your in my thoughts and prayers though I know this is a difficult time for your family.
As if the tragedy wasn't news enough, the media has to make more of it looking for angles.
I've just come from my TV, where I was watching President Bush speak. My boys, ages 7 and 6, sat in complete silence, wearing their VT hats, watching alongside me.
I just heard a story on the radio about a UVa student who went out after the tragedy yesterday and bought a VT shirt. You commented at my site that you were imagining what the first home football game will be like - I imagine fans on both sides, singing the Alma Mater together.
My husband's family still lives in the area and yesterday, his niece and nephews were locked down in their schools. I can't imagine what they were feeling.
My heart is breaking today.
As I read all of the other comments you have received, the common theme was that you were the "first person" they thought of. I know I'm not a regular reader here, but you were one of the first people I thought of, too. Yesterday, your name was included in my mind among the dozens of family members and friends that I know that went to VT.
I know your heart is breaking today, too. I hope to be at that first home game this fall. Maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll see you there.
Amy I haven't been reading you long enough to realise your link to VT. It was a terrible tragedy and my thoughts are with all those involved.
You know the students and the teachers might want to place blame for a while. I think their heads need to land on something anything and that's understandable. I think with more information and time they'll start to focus on putting it all back together if they can. From the outside it is very obvious to see that this was a situation out of control. Has it come to a world where our campus have to have Gunman loose on campus drills and procedures?
Amy,
I don't understand how someone could have done such a horrible thing, and care so little for human life. I keep praying for the victim's families. It is a very sad and tragic day.
~Christine
www.arewethereyetmom.com
Sitting in my living room in Colorado watching this take place in the state I was born and raised in - just really hit too close to home for me, and I didn't even go to Va. Tech.
I'm sorry that this has happened to your alma mater - I wish I could say more, but really there are no words. All those affected are in my thoughts and prayers, it's the best I can do.
I, also, thought of you first.
(((hugs)))
It just hit me that your blog colors are Orange, Maroon and white. Now that's a true Hokie, through and through!
I added a little tribute to VT on my sidebar, under my flickr badge. Let me know what you think.
I'm thinking about you....
Amy I am so sad for all the families and for you and everyone connected to Virginia Tech. It's such a tragic waste of young lives and it will leave so many unanswered questions. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Oh Amy, I am so sorry. It is horrific to watch all this unfold and to have a personal connection with it - well, I just can't imagine. Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone up there - its just so awful and scary.
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