April 18, 2007

• A Terrible Tragedy Hits Home – Days 1-3

  

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  What follows is a first hand account of this weeks tragedy by my friend Sabine, who thankfully lived through it.  Please take the time to read this.  It’s terribly sad, but also hopeful.  I appreciate your condolences to my friend and the loved ones she lost.  She will be arriving in California tomorrow night, and I know she will be overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers.  Thank you. –Carey

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  “He was an injustice collector”

  Day 3 – Wednesday

  I’m heading to the aiport now to pick up Sabine.  Thank you ALL so much for your messages, comments and prayers.  I will pass them on tonight…

  She’s finally here.  I hope she can begin healing,

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  Day 2 – Tuesday

  ———- Forwarded message ———-
  From: Bine
  Date: Apr 17, 2007 9:48 PM
  Subject: the second day
  To: nye group

  After a day of immense sadness and an emotional roller coaster I am finally home.
  I have spent most of the day with friends from our department. Today the shock has settled and the magnitude of Monday’s event hit all of us. Especially when we went back on campus to attend the convocation. Everybody from our group couldn’t help but sobbing. We hugged each other and we tried to comfort each other, which indeed helped.

  
  The convocation was good for our school especially the speech given by Nikki Giovanni who talked about our morning and our capability to move on.
  After that we went back to a friends place to be together and share the time and to support each other. One of our friends, went to visit Gil, who has been released from the hospital already, and to talk to him. And for you to see, what an amazing person Gil is:
  He said today, one day after he had been shot, that he is not angry at the shooter, that he forgives him. this was not only his fault, it was also the society’s fault our inability to help human beings who are in pain. He forgave the VT-administration, which failed to close down the campus after the first 2 homicides. But most importantly he wants to thank his classmate, who was shot just seconds before him (as of now, I don’t know the name), and who fell on top of Gil, so when the shooter came back, his classmate was shot again and this way saved Gil’s life. Gil said, “he has not only saved my life but the life of my wife, the life of my son, the life of my parents”. Gil is so much more at peace than we all are. No, he has not yet left the shootings behind, but he has already started to move on.

  Maybe you have heard that tuesday night was a candlelight vigil on the drill field of VT. Our group did not go there but stayed at the friends house where we organized our own candlelight vigil. It is not that we didn’t want to show our sympathy with the others, but as our departments mourns the loss of 10 students/faculty, we just wanted to be closer to them…somehow.

  Our classes have been canceled for the rest of the week and Norris Hall will be closed for the remainder of the semester. Some of our professors have already announced, that they are not going to finish their classes anymore, they simply can’t.

  Many people from our group of friends are heading to home to get some healing time, and Youenn has offered me to pay for a ticket to Providence (thank you so much for this generous offer). First I thought I needed to stay here, but after today, being so emotionally drained, I decided to leave Blacksburg for a while. I am not going north though, I guess I am ready for some sun and ocean (well and the friends/husband at the west coast, too). Carey, the master of frequent flyer miles has gotten me a ticket to LA tomorrow afternoon (Thank you again).

  I again want to thank you all for your help, support, phone calls and love. I just hope everybody here at VT has a similar circle of friends…

  love

  bine
  

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  From: Carey
  Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 10:03 PM
  To: Sabine
  Subject: RE: the second day
  
  

  You never need to thank me for loving you my friend! See you tomorrow. xoxo

   

  Carey

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  “Ich habe noch nie so viel Angst gehabt “

  Sabine was interviewed by one of the bigger papers in Germany this morning.  Sorry if you don’t read German :)

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  Update 6:56 PM PDT:

  Why Outsourcing is Bad

  After Sabine called me at noon, I called United Airlines to book a flight.  I was a 1K flyer with United for over 12 years.  What that means, is that I flew 100,000 miles or more, every year, on United Airlines.  With this status, you would think I would have some influence with the airline, or at receive some perks even though I switched jobs and do not travel near as much anymore.

  When I called United, I was routed to a call center in India.  In the past, 1K customers could call a number where a human being actually answered the phone.  That stopped on 9/11.  When I confirmed that I was indeed speaking to a customer service rep. in India, I told them what I was looking to accomplish.  I had already checked all of the flights out of Roanoke, VA (the closest airport to Blacksburg, VA where the massacre happened) and all of the flights were booked for frequent flyer seats.  I told United that I had assumed they would have opened up more seats because of the tragedy, and the customer service rep. said, “What tragedy”.  I told her briefly what had happened, and she said there was nothing she could do.  I asked to be transferred to a supervisor, and no one was available, so I ended the call.

  Now, keep in mind that I am used to getting what I want.  Traveling that much, for as many years as I did, taught me very well how the system worked and how to work the system.  A few minutes later, when I called back, I was speaking to someone in the Philippines.  I immediately asked to speak with a supervisor and I was transferred.  I then explained to the supervisor what had transpired, and asked him if he was aware of the tragedy in the U.S.  He told me that he was, and that he was sorry for all the victims.

  Now I’m not ethnocentric enough to expect everyone in the world to know about, let alone even care about what happened at Virginia Tech. yesterday, but I would expect a U.S. based carrier to inform their call centers around the world that an event had occurred that would change the pattern of air travel temporarily out of a few cities closest to the event.  I calmly explained this to the supervisor in the Philippines, and he agreed with me.  I asked him to abandon normal protocol and open up some frequent flyer seats for my friend Sabine.  Again, I know the system very well, and I know what is possible and what is not. (Most everything is possible by the way!)

  After I had secured flights to and from Los Angeles for tomorrow thru Sunday, I asked that he transfer me to United Airlines Corporate Headquarters in Chicago.  He said he could not transfer me, but he would see if he could get someone there on the line and conference me in.  It took a while, but before long, I was on a conference call with the Vice President of marketing for United Airlines.  I explained the situation and how the supervisor in the Philippines had helped me.  I also said that the majority of people affected by this tragedy would not know how to or, in their grief, be able to work the system like I did.  I told him in the nicest way that just like his industry changed after 9/11 that the average consumer’s world changed with the advent of blogging.

  Never before in history, has the individual consumer been able to have such a massive effect on the world.  Lately I have noticed how my blog is coming up as the first or second hit on certain Google searches.  The reason for this is that I post very frequently and tag my entries well.  I told him that if enough people were to blog about United Airlines indifference to this tragedy at their call centers around the world, that they could have a public relations nightmare on their hands, and that I would be more than willing to make that happen.

  I suspect those of you who know me, know what happened next.  The Vice President of Marketing for United Airlines promised me that he would notify call center supervisors via systemwide email, that customers flying out of airports within 2 hours of Blacksburg, Virginia would be offered special fares and accommodations for the next 2 weeks.  To be fair, they had already instructed individual airports in the affected area to accommodate travelers affected by the tragedy.  What they did not do however, in this new global economy, was thing globally.  The Internet has made the world a much smaller place after all.  Walt Disney knew this 50 years ago, even before the Internet.

  It’s a world of laughter, a word of tears.  It’s a world of hope, and a world of fears.  There’s so much that we share, that it’s time we’re aware, it’s a small world after all.

  

  Me and my friend Sabine last Christmas 

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  Update 12:14 PM PDT:  Sabine just called me to say that 10 people from her department were killed including her professor.  She wants to come to Los Angeles ASAP as students are leaving the campus in droves, as it’s just unbearable to be there.  I will be looking for plane reservations from Roanoke to Los Angeles for her tonight, and hopefully she can be here by tomorrow, at least physically away from all of that terrible, terrible sadness.

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  Day 1 – Monday

  At 7:10 this morning, I got an email from one of my best friends, Sabine.  We have spent New Year’s Eve together for the past 10 years all over the world.  She is from Germany, but she is getting her PhD at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia.  I’m happy to report that she is alive and was not injured today, though sadly, some of her friends were killed.  In the days and weeks to follow, we will find out more about the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.  For now however, we remember the victims of this terrible tragedy.  What follows, is the complete thread of emails I received from Sabine starting early this morning.  The emails are listed in chronological order in Pacific Time, which is 3 hours behind Eastern Time in Virginia.  Note the times on the emails, and at first, indeed the first few hours, so little was known about what was happening on campus.  Sabine actually makes light of it, as she forgot to bring her lunch with her today.  The second series of shootings occurred 2 hours and 20 minutes after the first, yet the campus remained open and students went to class.  Sabine also appended one of her messages with the first and second emails sent to everyone on campus.  Note the times on these emails, and how progressively worse the situation gets.  Sabine was clearly in shock, and still trying to make light of the situation despite how scared she was.  She didn’t want her loved ones to worry.  Interestingly enough, the university had 2 bomb threats last Friday.  Last year an escaped convict also rampaged the school, killing two police officers.  Sabine still does not know how many of her friends were killed.  As I write these words the death toll is 33, with many more injured.  I have tried to call her several times today, and the cell networks are jammed.  As you read these emails, please keep the victims and their friends and families in your thoughts. –Carey

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  From: Sabine To: Carey Date: Mon, Apr 16, 2007 at 7:10 AM   we got evacuated from our buildings due to a bomb threat and now we have a gunman…never a dull moment in Virginia. that is the last update on the situation here on campus….craaazy! bine P.S: And people wonder, why I am not finishing up with my thesis ;)) From: Carey  To: Sabine Date: Mon, Apr 16, 2007 at 7:14 AM Didn’t this happen last year too??? Stay safe. xoxo Carey From: Sabine To: Carey Date: Mon, Apr 16, 2007 at 7:18 AM Well, not the bomb threat, that is an exciting new feature ;)) The only thing I am annoyed by is: I didn’t bring any lunch with me, and now I am not allowed to leave the building and will be starving here….well, lucky me, I do have some “natural reserves” so I have a higher chance of surviving :)) bine From: Carey To: Sabine Date: Mon, Apr 16, 2007 at 7:24 AM   What a nightmare!  Are you home? You should finish your PhD at UCLA.  Los Angeles seems safer! Did you see the pics of Bassam and Mariana?   From: Sabine To: Carey Date: Mon, Apr 16, 2007 at 7:43 AM No, I am at school…quite disturbing the whole thing! Check CNN…already one dead…crazy From: Sabine To: Carey, Eva, Carolina Date: Mon, Apr 16, 2007 at 8:24 AM Subject: Fwd: Second Shooting Reported; Police have one gunman in custody ok..getting a bit nervous. He crossed campus and moves towards us. Norris Hall is the building right next to ours, they better catch the second one quickly plus I am hungry and I need food..;) ———- Forwarded message ———- From: Bine Date: Apr 16, 2007 9:02 AM Subject: evacuation To: Carey; Eva; Carolina; Youenn   Our VT-server must have collapsed, I cannot get any e-mails from there anymore. They are evacuating us now. It is quite some chaos here. I have to say, this situation scares the shit out of me…but definitely makes up for a good story ;)) bine Forwarded message from Virginia Tech Office of the Dean Unirel@vt.edu  Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 09:50:07 -0400 From: Unirel@vt.edu Reply-To: Unirel@vt.edu Subject: PLease stay put  To: Multiple recipients <LISTSERV@LISTSERV.VT.EDU> A gunman is loose on campus.  Stay in buildings until further notice.  Stay away from all windows —– End forwarded message —– —– Forwarded message from Unirel@vt.edu —–    Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 10:52:45 -0400    From: Unirel@vt.edu Reply-To: Unirel@vt.edu  Subject: Second Shooting Reported; Police have one gunman in custody      To: Multiple recipients <LISTSERV@LISTSERV.VT.EDU > In addition to an earlier shooting today in West Ambler Johnston, there has been a multiple shooting with multiple victims in Norris Hall. Police and EMS are on the scene. Police have one shooter in custody and as part of routine police procedure, they continue to search for a second shooter. All people in university buildings are required to stay inside until further notice. All entrances to campus are closed. —– End forwarded message —– From:  Bine Sent: Monday, April 16, 2007 2:57 PM To: Undisclosed Recipients Subject: Today’s Shootings    ok, for all of those who are reading about the VT-shootings online and worry about me. I am fine. We were evacuated. I am hanging out with friends here in our house, nobody wants to stay alone right now. Everybody is under shock. 22 people were shot. The second shooting happened in the building next to ours, which also belongs to our department, therefore we don’t know yet, if any of our friends are among the victims. Cell phones are not working and we are still in shock! I will keep you posted bine From:  Bine Sent: Monday, April 16, 2007 3:01 PM To: Carey; Eva; Carolina; Youenn Subject: Today’s Shootings   …I am just getting more and more bizarre information and you are probably are not interested in all the details, but it kind of helps me putting it out there, this way, I feel it is more real. We are all sitting here numb and shock…all of us want to cry but we can’t. A friend of mine, Gil, who was in the classroom was shot in the head but was able to call. By the time he called, he hadn’t realized that he was shot and told his wife, that he was ok. He said that most of the others where shot including a professor from our department, then he collapsed. He is right now in the hospital and in surgery. Another friend of mine, who NEVER skips class, skipped it today!! Again, I am not sure, why I am telling you all this, but  it helps. My friends and I are sitting here and feel so lucky! Thank you all for your concern and help…it really helps ———- Forwarded message ———- From: Bine Date: Apr 16, 2007 3:07 PM Subject: evacuation To: Carey; Eva; Carolina; Youenn   Thank you all again for the support and all the good wishes. This is the most inconceivable, hardest and scariest situation I have ever been in. The thing that drives us crazy is that we cannot get a hold of all our friends. And it is getting harder and harder to stay hopeful and optimistic. It has been confirmed now, that one of our professors has been shot. No news on my friend Gil, they say the surgery will take at least 3 more hours. We heard that they wanted to fly him to a specialist in Richmond but they couldn’t. Due to the high winds they can’t used helicopters. aaaaaaaah, I want to scream…everybody here sits and can’t fathom what was going on. Some started crying now but most of us just sit here and we can’t, we are still in shock and numb. We also just heard, that it is not for sure if this was really only one shooter. Blacksburg police told us to stay inside. I am not sure, if this are only precautions or if this is really a threat. We sit here and just can”t believe how lucky we were. All of us, have classes in Norris. All of us were so scared, because suddenly we were afraid that the bomb threats might have been more severe and as my building was already evacuated on friday we all started to make connections and getting really scared. ok, I just got another phonecall, and we heard that another friend of ours, Dan, has been shot and killed. ———- Forwarded message ———- From: Bine Date: Apr 16, 2007 5:17 PM Subject: evacuation To: Carey; Eva; Carolina; Youenn   we finally couldn’t stand it anymore and went to a hospital to see if our friends are listed but we only heard about two and they were in critical condition, on of them Gil. There was also one friend, Nathanial, and he told the most horrible story, I don’t know how he will ever be able to live with this memory. Nathanial was in one of the classrooms the shooter went in and he reported the following: The shooter entered the classroom, shot the professor in the head and then  every single student in the classroom, all of them in the head…all of them but Nathanial. He stood 2 feet away from him but he didn’t shoot him.  Then the shooter left, went  on to the next classroom shot people there and came back. Nathanial, in shock still in the classroom. The shooter tried to spot everybody who was still moving and shot them again…but again spared Nathanial…then he left. No deaths are confirmed yet, and the only thing we know for sure is, that Gil and Nathanial have survived but we  are sitting here and have no idea how to  deal with this news. We are all trying to comfort each other and stay sane! Again my friends, thank you for all your support,help and love! It  is much appreciated and really needed. bine p.s.: the phones are not really working, it is hard to get through but  Iwill try to  stay in touch with all of you as much as I  can.   ———- Forwarded message ———- From: Bine Date: Apr 16, 2007 11:37 PM Subject: last update for tonight To: nye group My roommate Lee and I went finally home and try to get some sleep/rest. Throughout the night, we got more bad news about other friends who got killed during this insanity. Campus is closed for tomorrow but there will be a community service at 2 pm on Campus. I want to go there, but I am a bit scared to go back on campus. I don’t fear that there is another shooting, I fear facing the sadness and the insanity of this incident. I am scared, really scared. What shocks most is the randomness. Why got some people shot and why were other spared? Why? Again my friends, thank you so much for your help and support. You have no idea how much this helps   From: Carey  To: Bine Date: Tue, Apr 17, 2007 at 12:30 AM Subject: last update for tonight Do try to at least rest.  If you need to talk in the middle of the night (which is now I guess), don’t hesitate to call.  You may never understand why some were spared while others were lost.  The best you can do is carry on.  For you will always carry on, and we will keep on speaking your name.  Some things change, some stay the same; like the love of our family and our deep bonds with each other.  God bless. Carey xo

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