Just checked in and was a little surprised no one had posted anything about the anniversary of our most sobering day. Just to remind everyone. We will prevail. We are Virginia Tech.
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We did prevail!
We still prevail! This day and 9/11 were my two worst days as a federal agent. Powerless to stop deeply evil men from harming my fellow Hokies/Americans. Never forget.
Can't believe next year will be twenty years later! More than half of current students weren't even alive back then. Damn it's hard being old....
Wow, didn't realize it's been that long 😢
Just passed by the memorial and it had a good number of visitors. I always choke up seeing the cadets standing watch in honor of the fallen. It is a somber day, but today is beautiful in Blacksburg and a reminder of how we can heal from tragedy, even if the progress is slow.
Still remember hearing the VT acapella group sing the below song in double 4 part harmony (wish I had a recording of it still. The embed is below the lyrics of another group that had the closest to the sound I remember from back then)-good thing this is a virtual forum or there would be tear stains on these words...
While written in 1993 about war in eastern Europe, it was all to apropos for 4/16/2007...
The Prayer of the Children by Kurt Bestor
Can you hear the prayer of the children
Abandoned in the shadow of an unknown room
Empty eyes with no more tears to cry
Turning heavenward toward the light
Crying Jesus help me to see the morning light
Of one more day
But if I should die before I wake
I pray my soul to take
Can you feel the hearts of the children
Aching for home
For something of their very own
Reaching hands with nothing to hold on to
But hope for a better day
A better day
Crying Jesus help me to feel the love again
In my own land
But if unknown roads lead away from home
Give me loving arms
Away from arms
Can you hear the voice of the children
Softly pleading for silence in a shattered world
Angry guns preach a gospel full of hate
Blood of the innocent on their hands
Crying Jesus help me to feel the sun again
Upon my face
For when darkness clears I know you're near
Bringing peace again
Da li čujete sve dječe molitve
Can you hear the prayer of the children
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Thanks for posting Skippy. That song is beautiful
I mean obviously I was a student at the time and still remember getting the emails to avoid campus at all costs right before I was to leave for class, and then turning on the news and seeing everything play out.
I'll be honest, I kind of forgot about it yesterday. And you know what, 19 years later it was kind of nice to have an April 16th pass without mentally going back there. In a way, its nice to look back and realize I've moved on from that moment in time. That's not to say that I don't still remember and honor my friends who passed, but at a certain point you have to let it go a bit.
Little did I know, but that day effectively made my username a reality, as all grades froze and you could only improve them with finals. That was the day I effectively ended my studies at VT.
I too forgot about it and was frankly furious and consumed with the Senate vote that occurred yesterday. Didn't think about it until late in the evening when I saw a post about it from my friend.
The Philly Chapter alumni group would have a walk for remembrance every year. The group has kind of fallen apart this year and I did not even hear about one. Alas, the old head moved away and he/his wife did a lot. I'm also working insane hours, so not able to set up anything either. Hope work slows down and there is increased interest in the chapter with energy from Franklin. Unfortunately, as the football team goes, that is how the Philly Chapter goes.
I always feel weird commenting on april 16th since I wasn't a student until 2008. But I do remember people asking me 'are you afraid of going there after the shooting?' (which was a stupid question for a variety of reasons, and an even stupider question given the rise in gun violence we've seen since... but I digress) - My response was that seeing the way the community responded confirmed that I made the right decision.
I think Chris Fowler summed it up best:
The Chris Fowler article was the best