A Student’s Letter Home
by Bryan Schamus
April 20, 2007
To my loving family and friends:
We continue to heal in Blacksburg. I look at the calendar and I see it's only been four days. It feels like months.
The outreach has been tremendous, especially at the Newman Community, Tech's Catholic Campus Ministry. We got the word out that we were providing a sanctuary for the students to come hang out. Take a look at our website for everything we are currently offering. (www.catholic.org.vt.edu) We continue to receive food, drinks, priests, counselors and people in need all the time.
We have eight priests in residence right now and they take shifts to be in the house for whomever might need help. Some people come in and just need to watch a movie. Some need to talk to a priest. Others just need a big hug.
The Bishop of Richmond is traveling to Blacksburg to say Mass on Sunday.
The convocation on Tuesday was the most moving event I've seen, and might ever see, in my life. Put all politics and personal opinion aside, President Bush was in our basketball arena to be with the Hokie Nation. He spoke from the heart and brought tears to many. Governor Kaine was “right on" with his speech as well, as he described his experience with the Hokie Nation. The ceremony ended with a now famous poem from world renowned poet and English professor here at Tech, Nikki Giovanni. This was her poem:
We are Virginia Tech.
We are sad today, and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on, we are embracing our mourning.
We are Virginia Tech.
We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly, we are brave enough to bend to cry, and we are sad enough to know that we must laugh again.
We are Virginia Tech.
We do not understand this tragedy. We know we did nothing to deserve it, but neither does a child in Africa dying of AIDS, neither do the invisible children walking the night away to avoid being captured by the rogue army, neither does the baby elephant watching his community being devastated for ivory, neither does the Mexican child looking for fresh water, neither does the Appalachian infant killed in the middle of the night in his crib in the home his father built with his own hands being run over by a boulder because the land was destabilized. No one deserves a tragedy.
We are Virginia Tech.
The Hokie Nation embraces our own and reaches out with open heart and hands to those who offer their hearts and minds.
We are strong, and brave, and innocent, and unafraid. We are better than we think and not quite what we want to be.
We are alive to the imaginations and the possibilities. We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness.
We are the Hokies.
We will prevail.
We will prevail.
We will prevail.
We are Virginia Tech.
The crowd of 12,000, with 20,000 watching in the football stadium on the video screen, responded with resounding cheers and applause which led to the most spirit-filled "LET'S GO HOKIES" chant ever to fill Cassell Coliseum.
It was my first Hokie cheer ever. Since first coming to Tech, I've worked at every home football and basketball game in a "professional" capacity. I've never cheered with my fellow Hokies. I always dreamed about one day being able to cheer from the stands but I never wanted it to be like this. It was bittersweet. But I will always remember it. LET'S GO HOKIES!!!!!
We hug everyone we see. There is so much good happening here right now. But I would give anything to go to class – to listen, take notes, without a worry in the world.
My good friend Theresa lost one of her best friends in one of the classrooms in Norris Hall. I can't even imagine. When she walked out for the ceremony next to President Bush, I didn't even know what to think.
Today I was interviewed by "Religion and Ethics", a television show on PBS.
Check your local listings to see when it airs, as it is different everywhere. They also filmed me singing Dona Nobis Pacem with some of my Newman singers.
Never, not three years ago or three days ago, could I have imagined what 4/16/07 would bring us. But in the aftermath of this tragedy, I'm reminded of all the reasons why I love with this place with all my heart. There is no other place on the face of the earth that could have dealt with such a loss in the way we have. As I told PBS today, when we gathered on the drillfield with candles and chanted, "LET'S GO---HOKIES", that was our prayer. Our ecumenical prayer as a united Hokie Nation. Thank you, Frank and Lisa McGrail for dragging me to Blacksburg three years ago. This is where I needed to be.
It will take many more days and months to heal. But I know all of you are praying and thinking of us. I apologize for not being able to return every phone call and e-mail, but please know that I read and listen to every one of them and they mean so, so much.
And I really hope that someday before I graduate, those of you that I'm writing to many miles away, can visit this campus and see what it's like without the world watching. Without the blood. Without the crime scene tape.
And without the sadness.
I am so proud to be a Hokie and I hope you are too. You all are Hokies. Wear your maroon and orange on Friday!
Please, please take a look at who this was sent to and send it on to others I may have forgotten or to those who would enjoy reading it. It's 1:30 a.m. and I'm running on fumes, so I am bound to forget people.
Keep the e-mails and calls coming and, of course, your prayers. I love you all.
HOKIE HOKIE HOKIE HI TECH TECH VPI SOLAREX, SOLARAH POLYTECH, VIRGINIA RAY, RAH, VPI TEAM TEAM TEAM
Peace and goodnight,
Bryan
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Comments:
For those who passed at Virginia Tech:
When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom-filled room.
Why cry for a soul set free?
Miss me a little - but no too long.
And not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love that we shared,
Miss me - but let me go.
For this is a journey that we all must take
And each must go alone.
It's all a part of the Master's plan,
A step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to the friends we know
And bury your sorrows in doing deeds.
Miss me - But let me go.
- Unknown( If you know the author please cite them.)
Posted by Trish Stevens | April 20, 2007 5:28 PM
May The Creator bless us all in this dark hour. May your faith in Him alleviate your pain and sorrow and provide you with comfort and strength during and after these troubling times.
To every thing there is a a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to alaugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to mend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Posted by CHYNA | April 20, 2007 7:22 PM
Sometimes things happen and we have absolutey no control. We feel helpless..Upon hearing this tragedy my heart was broken for the victims and families. I felt helpless and wanted to do something...
So I was inspired to write a song crying out in hope against the evil in this world. I dedicate it to the victim's families and friends....
It is called "Sons and Daughters" you can hear it here...feel free to download.
http://www.myspace.com/theshanehulseytake
God Bless...Shane
Posted by ShaneHulsey | April 21, 2007 3:56 AM
"Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word." No one can mend a broken heart but Jesus. No one can heal but Jesus. His heart aches even more than the families and friends of those left behind. That is why He can comfort like no one else can and He can give peace that passes ALL understanding. His Word tells us to trust in Him with all of our heart and lean not unto our own understanding but in all our ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct our paths. I hope you find comfort in His Word and know that even though on earth we will never understand what caused this tragedy one day in heaven we will know. Much love and compassion from our family to you all.
Posted by Peggy Springs | April 20, 2007 11:52 PM
As we sat in the memorial service at Randolph Macon today with a sea of maroon & orange in the church...This hymn was performed.....Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
Let not your heart be troubled, His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
As the Chaplain read the names of the victims in our prayers....We are ALL Virginia Tech. May God Bless you all and fill you with the strength you all need to heal.
Posted by Lisa-Ashland Virginia | April 21, 2007 1:24 AM
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Cho Family's Apology
Statement by Cho Sun Kyung, sister of Cho Seung Hui, on behalf of her family:
We are so deeply sorry for the devastation my brother has caused. No words can express our sadness that 32 innocent people lost their lives this week in such a terrible, senseless tragedy. We are heartbroken. We grieve alongside the families, the Virginia Tech community, our State of Virgina and the rest of the nation. And, the world.
Each day since April 16, my father, mother and I pray for students Ross Abdallah Alameddine, Brian Roy Bluhm, Ryan Christopher Clark, Austin Michelle Cloyd, Matthew Gregory Gwaltney, Caitlin Millar Hammaren, Jeremy Michael Herbstritt, Rachael Elizabeth Hill, Emily Jane Hilscher, Jarrett Lee Lane, Matthew Joseph La Porte, Henry J. Lee, Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan, Lauren Ashley McCain, Daniel Patrick O'Neil, J. Ortiz-Ortiz, Minal Hiralal Panchal, Daniel Alejandro Perez, Erin Nicole Peterson, Michael Steven Pohle Jr, Julia Kathleen Pryde, Mary Karen Read, Reema Joseph Samaha, Waleed Mohamed Shaalan, Leslie Geraldine Sherman, Maxine Shelly Turner, Nicole White, instructor Christopher James Bishop, and professors Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, Kevin P. Granata, Liviu Librescu and G.V. Loganathan.
We pray for their families and loved ones who are experiencing so much excruciating grief. And we pray for those who were injured and for those whose lives are changed forever because of what they witnessed and experienced.
Each of these people had so much love, talent and gifts to offer, and their lives were cut short by a horrible and senseless act. We are humbled by this darkness. We feel hopeless, helpless and lost. This is someone that I grew up with and loved. Now I feel like I didn't know this person.
We have always been a close, peaceful and loving family. My brother was quiet and reserved, yet struggled to fit in. We never could have envisioned that he was capable of so much violence.
He has made the world weep. We are living a nightmare. There is much justified anger and disbelief at what my brother did, and a lot of questions are left unanswered. Our family will continue to cooperate fully and do whatever we can to help the authorities understand why these senseless acts happened. We have many unanswered questions as well. Our family is so very sorry for my brother's unspeakable actions. It is a terrible tragedy for all of us.