VT - unimaginable

Having spent the first 14 years of my life living 7 minutes from VT Campus - I can hardly imagine something of such magnitude occurring in my small home town. I grew up on this campus - with both my parents working there at different times. My childhood memories are in this small town - and my siblings were all born there. I can remember the Hokies Flags, the doughnut shop down town, the HUGE Christmas tree on campus, walking through campus with the multi-colored leaves falling - crunching them as I ran - attending the many school field trips - FFA trips - and hanging out in the Theatre watching the musical presentations of the groups, helping to put colored gels on the lights for my dad to hang, listening to students practicing - and taking clarinet lessons from a student - wondering if I could ever go to the best school in the world and be as amazing as they were. I think of going to school and church - the countless parades down main street - and Stepp'n-out in August. I remember the devastation of finding out I was possibly moving from the place I knew and loved- wondering if I would ever make it back to the best place on earth.

Many of my elementary and middle school friends go to VT now --- and to think someone could come in and opening fire on students there - unimaginable.

My heart goes out to the place I grew - up --- to my friends and their families. To the students who attend there, as well as the families of the students attending VT. To the employees and faculty of the school who put so much time and effort into their jobs. My heart goes out to the President of VT, as well as to the police force and those involved in making the decisions made today. I am sure they had no idea such an event would occur not once but twice in one day. I believe they truly made the best decision they thought for the time.

I pray for healing and trust to be reestablished on a great and beautiful campus. I pray for those who were wounded and for those families they belong to. I pray for the families of the students who fell victim to this tragedy. I pray for the shooter - and for his family. I pray that nothing like that happens on any other campus.