Politics & Government
Ruck to Remember: VCU Community Pays Tribute to 9/11 Victims
Virginia Commonwealth University students and employees participated in a 9/11 tribute on campus Wednesday.
By Imani Thaniel
VCU Capital News Service
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RICHMOND, Va.—Instead of books, Virginia Commonwealth University students and employees ceremoniously filled their backpacks with rocks and joined nationwide tributes Wednesday commemorating 9/11.
The rocks represented blocks of cement that plummeted from the sky 18 years ago as terrorists charged hijacked planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
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At 8:46 a.m., the moment of initial impact, the somber group hit the ground to collectively do 2,977 pushups, in honor of all lives lost from the attacks. The event, “The Ruck to Remember,” was organized by the Student Veterans Association at VCU, along with Military Student Services and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6364.
A red, white and blue flowered wreath was placed in the Student Commons. Each victim’s name was posted on a large board beside the wreath and marked off as people completed pushups.
Howard “Mike” O’Berry, interim chief of VCU police, said the attack has profoundly affected America and the VCU community.
“All of our lives have changed because of that event 18 years ago,” he said. O’Berry said he still has a difficult time watching images from that day and thinking about the victims.
The group -- more than two dozen -- focused on unity as they also walked 220 laps around the commons.
James Grubb, president of the SVA, highlighted the group’s diversity. He said their different races and backgrounds served as a reminder that everyone is connected by the tragic events; somehow, someway.
“For the Student Veterans Association [this ceremony] is a way to continue doing service after leaving the military,” he said. “We try to find any ways to contribute to the community in any way we can.”
At ground zero in New York, names of the dead were read as families and mourners gathered for an annual remembrance. President Donald Trump, joined by first lady Melania Trump, led a moment of silence at the White House. Trump then delivered remarks at the Pentagon.
