Like Bleeding Navy said above, my hats off to the emergency responders. They did a remarkable job of handling a chaotic situation. Understandably, many parents were frantic to be sure their child was ok, and many didn’t want to detered from entering the school. Of course, that could not be permitted. The officers had their hands full at times but they maintained their poise and treated the many frightened parents with respect and understanding.
One of the first responders is my neighbor and he stopped by my home on his way to his house this evening. Today took its toll on him. He looked ashen from the stress. Not that the injured are in grave condition, because they have serious injuries, but are not critical, but simply because the kids in our school, the families in our community have been through a traumatic event. These people are not nameless and faceless but rather our friends and neighbors. People we socialize with, attend church with, attend school events with. So, as my neighbor had to stop vehicles and direct the cars to a special area, these were his frightened friends and neighbors. He provided reassurance as best as he could, but it was an extremely difficult day for him as it was for everyone.
We hope that you will continue to hold the victims and their families in your prayers. Join us in giving thanks that no lives were lost and the injuries will heal in time. Thank you again from the Dinwiddie community.