"Someone told me, 'Think about Ryan,' he said. "Ryan wouldn't want us to sit here and sulk. Ryan would be helping people."
Both Omotosho and Hoang said they were looking forward to the first official event of the semester: a service Sunday on the main lawn to dedicate individual stone memorials engraved with the names of Cho's victims.
The stones will be in the spot where a student group placed unmarked stones right after the shootings that became a focal point for expressions of grief.
Audrey Alderman of Thomasville, Ga., moved her son Alan onto campus for his freshman year and said she had no qualms about leaving him at Tech.
"You have to believe there's more good in people than bad," she said.
It helped that Alan had assured her he felt safe. "He came home from school that day and it was on TV," she said, pausing as her voice cracked. "He said 'Mom, it doesn't matter. This could have happened anywhere.'"
- Associated Press
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