Vigil held in honour of Virginia Tech victims

10-year-old Katie Vaillancourt looks on as the names of the fallen Virginia Tech victims are read.

One by one the names of the 33 victims of the Virginia Tech massacre were read aloud and candles were lit in their honour during a sunset vigil Tuesday night.

It was a sombre event at the Nipissing University – Canadore College pond, as students, staff, and members of the community gathered to honour the victims. Clearly the enormity of the events that unfolded April 16th, was too much for some to bear as they quietly wept trying to understand why the senseless attack occurred.

Struggling to find words an emotional Peter Ricketts, VP of Academics and Research at Nipissing University, explained that the tragedy impacted him personally as he had the opportunity to meet Jocelyn Couture-Nowak, while working with her husband Jerzy Nowak at Dalhousie University.

“Although I only had the one opportunity to meet her, you could see that she was a larger than life character with a real passion for teaching.”

“ No Matter how far Virginia is, it’s not far away, not far away at all,” he states.

Ricketts told the group that from the tragedy the world must learn from it not to live through such an event again.

“Never let events like this cloud us or dampen our hopes and dreams.”

Lacey Richmond a student in the Social Service Worker program at Canadore said the vigil was important because it gave people an opportunity to come together and share the grief for their fallen brothers and sisters.

“It’s important for us to stand together in fellowship,” she says.

“And share the wonder of why and what if.”

As a student, Richmond said that she was shocked and unnerved by the events, but hearing Ricketts story left her with a profound sadness.

“I came here today and found out about his association to the event and it broke my heart.”

“I didn’t realise how close it hit home for some people … one lady that was here tonight is from Virginia and that really hit home for me.”

Following the ceremony the guests signed a book of condolences that will be delivered to Virginia Tech.