It started out as a normal Monday morning in Blacksburg, Va., at Virginia Tech University. That would soon change. A massacre would soon take place in which 33 human beings' lives were taken away forever. This would be the most horrific and deadly shooting rampage in modern U.S. history. It was truly a dark day. There was however, a bittersweet story that took place during these events.
Professor Liviu Librescu, 76, threw himself in front of the shooter when the man attempted to enter his classroom. The Israeli mechanics and engineering lecturer was shot to death. The shooter came to the door of the classroom and attempted to break inside the room. Professor Librescu threw himself against the door, attempted to lock the door and held the door shut. He yelled for his students to flee. Students ran away, many jumping out of the windows to safety. One student was quoted as saying that he and many other fellow students were all alive, thanks to the brave acts of their professor, Liviu Librescu.
Liviu Librescu was born and raised in Romania, which joined forces with the Nazis in World War II. Librescu was sent to a ghetto and then to a labor camp, while his father was deported to a separate forced labor camp. Librescu survived the Holocaust. While working for a government aerospace company, he refused to swear allegiance to the Communist regime, and he was later fired when he requested permission to move to Israel. He was given special permission to move to Israel safely by the Israeli Prime Minister at the time. Liviu Librescu then left Israel for Virginia in 1985 and had been living in Virginia ever since.
He was a very well-known and respected scientist and professor who won many awards for his work. He was a man who survived the Holocaust, a man who escaped the killing. He was a man who survived Soviet Russia, Communist Romania and several wars and violence in Israel. He was a man that selflessly sacrificed his life to save others. This Holocaust survivor was killed one day after Yom Hashoa, the Holocaust Remembrance day. It was an incredible thing done by an incredible man.
Professor Liviu Librescu is an inspiration to us all. His act of bravery and kindness will live in my heart forever. He is the definition of a true hero. His memory will never be forgotten. All of my heart and prayers go out to this true hero. It is people like Liviu Librescu who make me proud to be Jewish, proud to wake up everyday and proud to be alive.
Zach Schneider is a sophomore sport management major.
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Letter to the Editor
