"Blacksburg is My Home"

By: KathyinBlacksburg
Published On: 4/18/2007 10:17:08 AM

Lucinda Roy is one of my favorite people in the world.  Not only is she an outstanding professional,academic leader, and teacher.  She is a warm, compassionate, and wonderful human being. 

I am so proud of how she represents the Virginia Tech community.  Here is her NY Times Op-Ed, written before she knew the gunman had been a student of hers, a student whom she had both referred to counseling services and reported to the police.

I will write some thoughts in a few days.  Right now, I am thankful for Lowell, Rob, Josh and others who are blogging this. Thanks everyone.

Here's what she wrote ("A Black Day in the Blue Ridge"):

But Blacksburg isn't a place of massacres - Blacksburg is my home in southwest Virginia. It's boring - that's why I like it. We are Virginia Tech, the fighting gobblers, the ones who wear the funny turkey hats and plant tasteless turkey sculptures all over town. We are not the stuff of massacres.

Comments



Glad you're OK (Nick Stump - 4/18/2007 1:45:35 PM)
I was thinking about you when I heard the news and I'm glad you're all right.  I'm so sorry for Blacksburg and all the fine people at Va Tech.  I can't think of a more unlikely place for something like this to happen. God bless.


Blacksburg is a wonderful, beautiful place... (Loudoun County Dem - 4/18/2007 2:01:01 PM)
...both of my brothers are Tech grads and my sister matriculated at Radford so I have been lucky enough to make it down there on many occasions.

On a sad personal note, one of the victims, Reema Samaha was my goddaughter's best friend since preschool. I only knew her and her sister as the little girls (now women) who were always running around with Monica and her sisters.

If you would like to see Reema and gang acting silly (and see what a beautiful person she was) please watch this video (warning, the content is inanely silly but it will shine some light on Reema as we knew her), Reema is wearing the red shirt in the video:

http://youtube.com/w...

There is also video of her last dance (that hurts to write) here:

http://kabobfest.blo...

I don't know Reema's family well but she was a very beautiful and giving soul.

PS. My goddaughter and family are distraught but doing as well as can be expected and, since the Samaha's are in Blacksburg setting things in order, last night their house became the gathering place for mourning (it seemed as if half of their high school graduating class was there). They are strong and will survive. I had to hug each of them and give them a kiss on the forehead (for my own sake).

I am still a bit numb...



Truly Tragic (Alicia - 4/18/2007 10:09:50 PM)
I am so sorry she was taken away so soon.  I wish you and everyone touched by her great spirit a lot of strength.  And one day peace.


meant to say (Alicia - 4/18/2007 10:10:21 PM)
too soon

words are hard at a time like this...



Thank you... (Loudoun County Dem - 4/18/2007 10:23:14 PM)


Home away from home... (cycle12 - 4/18/2007 2:29:14 PM)
Kathy:  Thanks so much for posting your diary and for giving us the link to Lucinda Roy's excellent article, "A Black Day in the Blue Ridge".

For several years, Blacksburg was my home away from home as it was for my two sons, and it will always be a special place to our family.

Steve



thank you Kathy (Susan P. - 4/18/2007 4:13:36 PM)
As a 'Hoo, I never realized how many Hokies I knew until this happened.  We had to make a list and check on them all -- a very long list (thank you facebook), and all safe, thank you Lord. But in saying that, I would not wish this on anyone else, either.  I saw Lucinda Roy and Nikki Giovanni on t.v. and they were the essence of wisdom, common sense, comfort, and hope.  We will continue to keep the victims and survivors in our thoughts and prayers.


I was and I'm pretty pissed @ the news headlines (totallynext - 4/18/2007 6:57:29 PM)
VT Massacre?  What is that about - Why not say

VT Tragedy?  I mean how uncaring can the news people be.