A Town that Lost It's Innocence...

In 2007 Blacksburg, VA and the campus of Virginia Tech lost it's innocence to a selfish man named Seung-Hui Cho.  He took the lives of 32 individuals and then claimed his own.  Although Aaron and I obviously did not live here at that time the images and the stories from that day haunt me.  Once we arrived on campus I paid respect at the memorial which was dedicated to those who lost their life that day.  The memorial is beautiful and a wonderful tribute to the lives lost; however, it still leaves me angry at the thought that anyone could do such a horrible thing.

Blacksburg is a very rural community and without the University would hardly sustain itself or be recognized nationally.  It is quiet and home to good family values and small town living.  The Univeristy gives it a "dot" on the map, but honestly the massacre of 2007 sort of did that too.  It's not the type of thing any places wishes to be known for.  Maybe for high quality education or research but not for 32 lives taken in a horrific manner.

This past Thursday the city and surrounding area was challenged once again.  Four and a half years after Cho scarred this town another young man decided to do the same thing.  For reasons that we will probably never know since he too took his own life after killing a police officer.  In my opinion the University did an outstanding job of securing the campus and keeping students and the community involved.  However, none of this changes that fact that a police officer, husband and father of five lost his life.

Below is a picture of the VT memorial for the 32 victims who lost their lives on April 16, 2007