I am numb. I love working at such a small university because I feel like I know, or at least know of, everyone. But then, when tragedy strikes, it isn't the anonymous kind that you hear on the news and shake your head and forget about the next day, but rather the paralyzing ache that lingers long after with sharp pangs that resurface from a photo or an event or something someone says. And while these college students think they are grown, to me, they are still children and I hate to see them suffer, hate to see them hurt. My first thought upon waking this morning was that I could go upstairs and hug my children, but that this boy's parents would never be able to do that again. Being a parent is the most frightening thing I have ever done; my children bring me such joy, but there is the potential for such inconceivable heartbreak.
Mark, I hope you are in a happier place. You will be missed.
