NIU: A day to remember

4:45 p.m.

The wreath-laying at Memorial Garden next to Cole Hall, where the
fateful shooting took place just a year ago today, was as reverent and
simple a ceremony as you will ever see.

And quiet.

NIU President John Peters, accompanied by his wife and other NIU
dignitaries, said not a word as they began the short trek from Martin
Luther King Commons over to Cole Hall, just a few hundred feet away.
Hundreds followed, as bells tolled in the Holmes Student Center nearby.
The sound of the bells, and the soft crunching of shoes on pavement,
was all that could be heard.

As the group of dignitaries, which included Gov. Pat Quinn and U.S.
Rep. Bill Foster, D-Geneva, neared the Memorial Garden, they stood,
allowing family members and friends of the victims right behind them to
catch up. They placed a wreath at each of five wooden headstones, which
eventually will be permanent granite headstones, then hugged each
other.

The entire time, more than 10 minutes, the bells rung, but not another
sound was heard. Even the traffic on Route 38 just two blocks away
seemed to stop. The thousand or so observers did just that * observed,
wiped tears, took pictures, bowed their heads, prayed * but said
nothing.

Eventually, they all began filing orderly past the headstones, right
after the bells in the Holmes center gradually faded.

3:30 p.m.

A lot has changed on NIU's campus in the last year. Healing has taken place, and old open wounds have closed, but one step into the Holmes Student Center Art Gallery, and the band aid is ripped off all over again.
I've been here for nearly five hours now, I've talked to students--seen their hugs and tears, but nothing could prepare me for walking into the barely year old time capsule the University had on display Saturday.
It was like we were all standing on last February's snow blanketed campus, looking at impromptu memorial after memorial once again.
Peeking out from behind glass cases were five, once-white stuffed bears with sparkling red hearts held to their chests. Newspaper headlines seemed to scream from collages.
In just over two hours, more that 400 people found their way in and out of the exhibit, often leaving with heavy hearts. It was like attending a funeral all over again, except for this time around, it's supposed to hurt a little less, sting a little softer, end with a revelation.
From Idaho University to the Geological Society of America, letters of support from nearly every community, group and organization around the country came together to offer their support and condolences. These mementos were on display to help victims and survivors realize the grave impact one act of violence can make.
"Life will never be the same at NIU," Assistant to the Vice President of Administration and University Outreach, Mary Mikey said last year. "But perhaps, it will be better. Maybe we will be stronger, more patient, be more tolerant, give more hugs."
A year later, Mickey's words appear to ring true. Students were hugging, and celebrating one another. Girls with purple hair stood next to jocks in line as they waited to remember together--as they stood in front of the larger than life pictures of Daniel, Ryanne, Julianna, Catalina and Gayle.
Each picture told of the dreams and ambitions the five Huskies had as they woke up on Valentine's Day last year--each stood as a promise to never forget.
"As we move forward together," Sen. Dick Durbin said in a statement, his words now memorialized on the Holmes Center wall. "Let's make room in our hearts for their dreams."
Today, NIU took one more step toward that goal.

12:46
Earlier this morning, NIU President John Peters said made the comment that because of this tragedy, five lives have touched thousands. This never seemed more true, until I walked into the Holmes Student Center on Campus minutes ago.
It is a place these students likely come everyday, for coffee, or to use a computer, but today, they came to remember---along with the rest of the country whose expressions of grief remain on display.
Hundreds of colorful index cards are pinned to giant boards in the Promenade Lounge. Visitors linger among them, reading the acts of kindness scrawled on each card, in script, or tiny child-like writing.
"I lived above the influence," one read.
"I shared my popcorn."
"I let a first grader cut in line because she was starving."
Others held food drives, did their brother's chores, opened the door for someone with crutches.
These acts of kindness, though small, represent the impact of change these five lives lost and remembered continue to evoke.
In the days and weeks following the NIU shooting, 600 counselors flooded the campus with support, 120 spools of red and black ribbon were donated and dozens of volunteers lent their time and hands to better a broken community.
A year later, that support still rings strong, and that support could been seen Saturday across campus.
Students smiled with colorful sticks of chalk in hand as they scrawled Valentine's Day messages of love on their brick dorm walls.
"Together, Forward Together," the bold print read, accompanied by the name of every student in the Neptune Dormitory where puffy-eyed students remained over the weekend.
"A lot of freshman went home," they told me. Parents had come to pick them up yesterday. "They felt out of place today," they gave of their reason.
But while some students left campus, dozens of other spectators flooded it, with promise and hope for the future--and they could find it in the images of hope on display at the Holmes Student Center Capitol Room. Taken to depict and encourage renewal, new beginnings and to reflect in someway their own reflections of hope, the University gathered the photos to inspire.
A battered butterfly on a beautiful flower, and a rising moon over the desert help ease the mind of students grieving with the loss and tragedy of last year's events while reporters egg them on for details.
"Were you there? What did you see? What did you hear? How do you feel?"
But we know the answers to these questions. We've asked them before. Today we need to ask, what can we do to continue moving forward, together, forward, and how can the lives of five people continue to change and positively influence the lives of the thousands effected around them.

11:35
When I woke up this morning, I knew today was going to be hard. I knew that despite the fact that I didn't know Daniel Parmenter, Ryanne Mace, Julianna Gehant, Gayle Dubowski or Catalina Garcia I would likely shed a tear as they were remembered.
How could I not?
The fact that a year ago today, these young men and women woke early just like had. They headed to class with big, ambitions dreams in their eyes, and Valentine's plans on their minds, only to have it all taken away by one senseless, vicious.
For me, well that's almost too much to comprehend.
For the Husky family that gathered today to celebrate the lives lost of Feb. 14, 2008, it's something they've grown not only to comprehend, but to overcome.
The audience wasn't huge, but it was one of great impact, Saturday. Red and black adorned every body as friends, teammates, teachers, and families gathered to celebrate the anniversary of tragedy.
"We are thankful that after all we've been through, though the darkness came upon us and we could have easily given up or given in, after all of this, we stand today in unity," said Executive Vice President Eddie R. Williams during the memorial ceremony's invocation. "It's with great testimony that we are still here. We seek even greater strength, yes, even greater resolve in spirit as we pursue our quest to make sure that darkness will never conquer our light."
With music, and story, a community gathered to remember the strength it's exemplified in the past 365 days.
From ribbons made to balloons released, from home cooked meals, and counseling services, people from across the country came out of the woodwork to reach out, and it was without question how much that help has been appreciated.
"Full perspective is a mountain that takes many years to climb," President John Peters said to an audience, now risen to it's feet. "I think we've begun the assent."
While the NIU community continues to reel with the challenges it has faced in the past 12 months, Saturday came as a welcome celebration of life, and encouragement to move forward.
"We sense the pain of those who still struggle, those wounded in mind and body," Peters said. "But we are warmed by the embrace of a loving community. We celebrate the strength of character that defines each one of (those lost) as their lives continue to inspire us."
Buses have now taken visitors onto campus where a day's worth of remembrance and celebration are planned. Stay tuned for continued blogs, tweets and coverage.

10:10 a.m.

In case you missed the link on our home page, we will be live-streaming the events today. There's already some fantastic tributes playing. Check it out here.