Matt's 3rd Observation

April 16, a day that will be forever immortalized in Virginia Tech history. It is 7:30pm, and people are beginning to gather for the candlelight vigil. It is a cool 55 degrees with a breeze from the west that prompts many to don sweatshirts. Numerous people have camcorders and cameras on tripods, including myself. I stand towards the back of the burgeoning crowd, in order to get the perfect shot. The time goes by slowly, as everyone anticipates the beginning of the ceremony. The entire corp of cadets can be seen marching on the drillfield road, towards Burress. They march in step until they stop and wait for a few seconds, then break off into groups and join the crowd for the vigil. 15 cadets join the crowd right in front of me. Apparently candles were being given away for the ceremony at the beginning of the sidewalks to the drillfield. I did not pick one up however, because I would be shooting the event with my camera. As the sun sets and it begins to get dark, the ceremony begins with a speech from our president, Charles Steger. He talks of how only light can drive out darkness, and that as that light we can break through the darkness. One woman and one man then come up and read off the names of the victims of april 16. They say them slowly, and then give a short tribute of the person's talents and passions. As the names are read, a student representative lights their candle from the huge candle in the center, and then takes their place behind the hokie stone bearing the name of the person they are representing. As the names are read, select people in the crowd react. A woman right in front of me hugs her husband as one of the names is read. After the reading of the names, an accapella group sings a song as the candle light is distributed among the crowd. Soon everyone candle's are lit, and they are raised into the air. Everything is silent, except for the eerie breeze that attempts to snuff everyone's candles. The president says a few words, and then the ceremony is over.