VT community gathers to remember lives lost one year ago

By Jay Warren
WSLS10 Anchor
Published: April 16, 2008

On a sun drenched drillfield before a sea of orange and maroon, the Virginia Tech family remembered what happened on year ago and the sorrow that followed.

Click for video of entire morning memorial tribute

“Neither the heat of summer or the winds of winter have relieved our pain,“ Virginia Tech President Dr. Charles Steger told the crowd of thousands.

Wednesday’s remembrance service was less about what happened last April 16th and more about those we lost.  Slowly, the names of all 32 victims were read aloud and with each we heard a brief description about them. Adjectives like creative, insightful, individualistic were used. We heard about their accomplishments like from “talented artist” to “tournament winning gamer.“ They even shared small anecdotes like “loved rollerblading” and “loved life, cheering people up, and making other laugh.“

All of it showed the immense mosaic of life that we lost last year. But also the impact they had on all of us. That message wasn’t lost on Governor Tim Kaine.

“If Virginia Tech wanted to be represented by 32 people that would tell the story of who this university is and more importantly aspires to be, those 32 descriptions were so moving… And make us mourn the lost promise,“ he said. “The world was cheated on April 16th one year ago, cheated of the accomplishments that were surely to come from their extraordinary lives.“

Governor Kaine reminded us that even though the 32 victims left us too early, they still had a huge impact, touching many and leaving the world better than they found it. For that, Steger said they will never be forgotten.

Click to read what was said about each of the 32 victims lost on April 16th

“Although our sadness continues to weigh upon us, the one thing we can put to rest is the fear that we’ll forget those who were taken from our midst, we now know that will never be the case,“ he said.

The memorial was somber, even quiet. There were no chants or poetry. Over the past year we have heard so many people say “we will overcome.“ You can now change the tense of that verb because Virginia Tech “OVERCAME.“