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A Day of Tears at Tech
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"We need to stop the gun violence in our country," Bobbie Ansell said at the event in Richmond. Her niece, Emily Haas of Richmond, was shot twice in the attack but survived.
In Blacksburg, it was apparent that some of Tech's 27,500 students had left campus for the day, while others were drawn to the ceremonies. "Some people feel like it's best to get away from everything," said Aimee Fausser, a junior from Springfield who lost three friends in the attacks. "But for me it was important to experience the community being together."
Among other campus tributes to the fallen were a tree-planting ceremony, a dance performance, a candlelight vigil in the evening and countless impromptu acts of remembrance. For several hours, a line of mourners walked the edge of the "Hokie Stones" at the Drillfield memorial, leaving flowers, notes and other tokens. Groups of students sang or played guitar. Some played Frisbee and football on the grass as the sun climbed and warmed the day.
It was part of "living for 32," said Brittany Wicks, a sophomore from Williamsburg, citing what has become a common refrain for students trying to strike a balance between remembering and moving on. "You have to remember," she said, "but you can't dwell on it."
"It's what the 32 would have wanted," said Bryan Katz of Haymarket, a recent graduate from a doctoral program. "Everybody chooses to move forward, just at a different pace."
At some point, said junior Chris Gravely, April 16 will become more of a celebration than a remembrance. But one year was too soon, he said.
"It's ripped open a lot of wounds," Gravely said. "It's really good that we come together, but it's going to take a while."
Staff writer Anita Kumar contributed to this report from Richmond.
