In times of tragedy — when we need to heal — we find strength in one another. A shoulder to cry on, a squeeze of the hand, a knowing look — all of these give us comfort and reassurance that we are not alone.
That’s what we need more than anything as we today mark one year since the shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center. Large gatherings are prohibited due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, and the outbreak scuttled plans for an in-person remembrance.
Instead the city organized a series of events in which people can participate — alone, but together in spirit — in order to honor those lost and demonstrate the community’s support for everyone affected by this tragedy.
On Friday, everyone was encouraged to wear blue, the color of remembrance, and to plant forget-me-not flowers, which will bloom each year. A forget-me-not also sits at the center of a mural on the side of Mount Trashmore thanks to the impressive work of Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation, whose workers painted a large mural with the words “Love for VB.”
The flower at the heart of the mural has 12 blue pedals, one for each of the fallen, four white pedals for the injured and a blue dot in the middle for the police officer shot responding to the shooting, saved by his protective vest.
At 4:06 p.m. today, the city will present an online ceremony at loveforvb.com and on the city’s YouTube page that will pay tribute to the victims and aims to bring comfort to the community and the region.
While not holding in-person events is the responsible decision, it is also no substitute for bringing the community together to mourn those we lost, support those who still suffer and show that Virginia Beach will not be defined by one violent act.
We do not know what compelled a city engineer to open fire on his coworkers in Building 2 last year. Investigations continue, though officials have told the public they may never conclude with certainty the shooter’s motivation.
But we do know the people we lost — the mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, daughters and sons killed that awful day.
Remember their names and celebrate their memories: Keith Cox, Rich Nettleton, Joshua Hardy, Missy Langer, Kate Nixon, Alex Gusev, Mary Lou Gayle, Tara Gallagher, LaQuita Brown, Chris Rapp, Bobby Williams and Bert Snelling.
We also know the survivors. They are our friends and neighbors and coworkers. They sit next to us at church or alongside us at high school football games. They remind us of how quickly life can change and the importance of making every moment count.
Virginia Beach — indeed, the entire region — hasn’t lost sight of that. The #VBStrong signs may not be as common as they once were, but the sentiment has not faded. The VB Strong Center continues to provide invaluable guidance and assistance to those affected, and the memory of that day remains painful and acute.
Time will help but those feelings may never dissipate. Certainly it will not for those who lost family or friends in the shooting. Or for the injured. Or for first responders — law enforcement who engaged the shooter and the EMS workers who tended to the victims.
But perhaps for those removed from the horror of that day — who saw the first reports with shock and horror, or who participated in some of the memorial events a year ago, or who donated their time or money to relief efforts — time will being healing, comfort and perhaps even closure.
What we cannot do, however, is lose sight of those who still need us and will for years to come. We must remain supportive, to lend an ear to hear them and our voices to be their advocates.
While we today remember this tragedy apart from one another, the bonds of community must remain strong. Let that be what we take from this loss.
