I've experienced being part of a close-knit group before - belonging to organizations where the bonds of friendship and comradary run deep is just the legacy of many years spent in the military and time around rugby clubs and teams. But the tragic events that started last Thursday and culminated yesterday with the funeral of Virginia Tech police officer Deriek Crouse have left me with a new sense of what it is to be a part of a family much bigger than one person or one team.
Tragedy struck the campus here once more, but the feeling you get from those in the Hokie community, here in Blacksburg and from around the world, is that there is a renewed sense of pride and collective strength. One that is even stronger than before, one that is only born out of the kind of adversity that our community has had to face.
Although this strength has come from within, support from the wider community has again helped enormously. The sight of 30 Virginia Military Institute cadets ready to stand with ranks of Hokie students at the funeral was uplifting. They were joined by the bikers of the Patriot Guard, there to drown out the vile noise of intolerance that had threatened to violate such a solemn occasion. Almost a thousand police cars were on campus. Police officers came from as far away as Canada. Most police forces from within the state were present, as well as police from our ACC rivals at the University of Virginia and Wake Forest University. The procession from Cassell Coliseum to the cemetery stretched for miles.
Thousands of Hokies attended a candlelit vigil on Friday night. Hundreds bombarded the editor of the Daily Press after an insensitive article was run on Friday, which has resulted in the article being removed from their website. Students immediately set up an account for the family of officer Crouse, that after just 5 days, now stands at over $85,000. Nearly a thousand students had promised to stand in silent protest with the VMI students and the Patriot Guard at the funeral. Social media has been awash with messages of solidarity and support.
It was a tragic event, and I can only imagine the emotions felt by those who were here in 2007. But the family that is Virginia Tech appears to even stronger than before, and one I'm very proud to be a part of.
Tragedy struck the campus here once more, but the feeling you get from those in the Hokie community, here in Blacksburg and from around the world, is that there is a renewed sense of pride and collective strength. One that is even stronger than before, one that is only born out of the kind of adversity that our community has had to face.
Although this strength has come from within, support from the wider community has again helped enormously. The sight of 30 Virginia Military Institute cadets ready to stand with ranks of Hokie students at the funeral was uplifting. They were joined by the bikers of the Patriot Guard, there to drown out the vile noise of intolerance that had threatened to violate such a solemn occasion. Almost a thousand police cars were on campus. Police officers came from as far away as Canada. Most police forces from within the state were present, as well as police from our ACC rivals at the University of Virginia and Wake Forest University. The procession from Cassell Coliseum to the cemetery stretched for miles.
Thousands of Hokies attended a candlelit vigil on Friday night. Hundreds bombarded the editor of the Daily Press after an insensitive article was run on Friday, which has resulted in the article being removed from their website. Students immediately set up an account for the family of officer Crouse, that after just 5 days, now stands at over $85,000. Nearly a thousand students had promised to stand in silent protest with the VMI students and the Patriot Guard at the funeral. Social media has been awash with messages of solidarity and support.
It was a tragic event, and I can only imagine the emotions felt by those who were here in 2007. But the family that is Virginia Tech appears to even stronger than before, and one I'm very proud to be a part of.
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