Virginia Tech Memorial Page
This page is dedicated to the memory of the 32 lives that were lost in the tragedy that occurred at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. My thoughts and prayers go out to all who were affected by the sad events of that day.
I hope that as time goes on I will be able to add more to this page.
Links
Below are some related links I wanted to share with you:
Chris Fowler's story at ESPN.com
My own thoughts
I wrote a few things as I was recently reflecting on what happened on April 16th, and I've decided to share those thoughts with you here. I wrote the following on April 21st, 2007:
As I'm writing this, I'm trying to figure out whether the tragic events that unfolded on the campus of Virginia Tech just happened recently, or a lifetime ago, or if they even happened at all. I think this is one of those times in life where time plays tricks on you. In any case, those events took place five days ago, and although I'm not sure why it took this long for me to sit down and write this, I feel like it's important for me to share my thoughts right now.
What happened on Monday, April 16th, 2007, is well known by now, so I don't feel compelled to recall those details here. I also don't feel the need to describe the sense of historical significance of that day's events, and I'm not going to spend time here speculating what could have been done to prevent or lessen the loss of life on that day. And I'm also not going to spend this time writing about the media and how they have reported on what happened. All of these things, I think, are best left in the hands of others who are better qualified to handle them. Besides, these thoughts aren't truly what occupy my mind when I think about what happened five days ago. There are other things on my mind, and these thoughts are the ones I want to share with you now.
I was a student at Virginia Tech for a year and a half, starting with the fall semester of 1995 and ending at the end of the fall semester in 1996. So, as you can imagine, the events of this past Monday affected me in a more personal way than they probably would have otherwise. Learning of a tragedy is one thing, but knowing that it happened in a place you know, that it happened at “your” school, is different. It makes everything feel more personal in a way that's hard to describe, but if you've ever felt that way, you know exactly what I mean. Even though I didn't graduate from Virginia Tech, I can't help but think of it as “my” college, and I take pride in the fact that I went to school there. Of course, I'm shocked and saddened just to think that something like this could have happened there, much less that it actually did happen there. Just the fact that it could have happened anywhere at all is still inconceivable to me. But, as I reflect on this tragedy now, the first and foremost thought I have is that I am proud to have been a Virginia Tech student and I always will be. And I know I'm not the only one.
Certainly, it will take a long time for the pain and grief this tragedy has caused to fade, and time will never completely erase the memory of what happened. But, that “Hokie Pride,” that sense of being part of something truly special that I still feel even now, is strong in everyone at Virginia Tech. No matter what happens, that pride will always be there, and along with faith and hope it will carry us all through to better times ahead. There are just some things that nothing, not even the senseless acts of April 16th, can take away or erase.
One thing I've learned in life is that in times of adversity, there is also opportunity. Opportunity to change, to grow, to make a fresh start, or sometimes just to stop and count our blessings. This is an opportunity for the Virginia Tech community to come together and eventually become stronger. I know without a doubt that they will do just that. It won't be easy, but I know it will happen just the same. That's the biggest reason why I'm proud to be a Hokie right now – knowing just how strong they will show themselves to be.
I guess there's only one thing left to say now: Let's Go Hokies!!
Tony Upton
April 21, 2007