Small world, enormous tragedy

There's little I can say about Monday's atrocity that hasn't already been said. We all know by now that what transpired was beyond horrific, beyond shocking, and I've no light to shed on how or why someone could come to that.

It astonishes me, though, how close it came to so many people. It seems everyone either went to Tech or knows someone who does. I'm in the second group.

My buddy Charlie was a groomsmen at my wedding. He's younger than me by a couple years and is still in school -- at Virginia Tech -- finishing off his degree in industrial engineering. Yep, engineering. Charlie had class that morning; luckily, he skipped it. But for a few moments I shared the terror of uncertainty with so many others. He didn't answer when I first called, and while I knew the odds were he was O.K., it's amazing what the brain can do in a couple of minutes. Trying work when you're wondering if one of your best friends is alive is beyond difficult. Charlie rang me up a few minutes later, and I nearly lost it.

Trying to analyze what would push someone so far as to carry out what happened is beyond my abilities, and I'm not going weigh in on the political and cultural parsing that's started up over the past week. But I will say that I envy the Hokies.

In the midst of unspeakable pain, the Tech community came together like few other groups I've ever seen. The river of support pouring from each student, teacher and alumni amazed me. People I never knew were Hokies called up the newspaper where I work to express their support. It's an enviable thing despite the tragic circumstances, and it left much of the state in awe.

Could more have been done to prevent what took place? Maybe. Will we learn something from it than can head off future tragedies? Hopefully. Is the Hokie Nation stronger because of its pain? Definitely.

I think Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling summed it up well at a recent speech in Wakefield:
"My friends, we are Virginians, and today, we are all Hokies."

- Dan