I Was Frantic...

Another shooting occurred yesterday on an

American campus, it also happened to be the

campus where one of our kids attends school.

I was happily posting yesterday's blog about

soap and travel when I brought up my facebook

page and read a post about a shooting at Purdue.

This was at 12:36pm, I immediately started

calling, texting, messaging on fabebook and I

couldn't reach Kate.  I called Rob, I called my

sister, I put on the local news.  Both of the 

anchors on Channel 12 had kids at Purdue too

and they had already checked in.  We are so 

connected in today's world ~ where was my Kate?

Kate's major is in the School of Science so she

certainly could have a class in the EE building.

Tornado sirens are blasting, texts are flying

all over the place.  And nothing...

Finally, at 12:55 pm Kate messaged me on 

facebook.  She said she was in Potter, the 

building next to EE and in the library on

lockdown with the doors locked.  It had been 

a long 19 minutes.

When I finally spoke to Kate after she was 

released she said she had a 12 o'clock class

in Potter, so she had walked right past the 

EE building next door.  When they got the 

text from Purdue about a shooting the professor

locked the door, they had a guest speaker and

the class went on.  They were released at 1:30pm

and as they left the building they saw LOTS of 

police and homeland security and helicopters

overhead.  They didn't know if the buses were

running so they called a sorority sister to pick

them up ~ they were scared and shaken.

Once home the sorority said they were not 

supposed to leave the house though Purdue

resumed classes.  Finally, Purdue cancelled

all classes for the remainder of the day and the

next day.  

Later, I asked Kate if she had heard the sirens

or shots.  She said they hadn't heard anything 

while inside.  I asked why she didn't call us right

away.  She said the text was Shooting reported 

on campus, EE building, avoid area, shelter in 

place.  They didn't know a person was shot, it 

could have been that shots were heard.  When

they came out of the building, they were shocked

at all that was happening around them.

By later in the day, they were allowed to out.

Kate and her sorority sisters attended the vigil

last night.  

As we breathe a sigh of relief and are so thankful

that our child is safe, we also know there is a family

that is experiencing the worst day of their lives

and our heart goes out to them.

Now a note to Purdue and all other

schools:  Part of your readiness training

needs to be that you instruct all teachers

to have the students contact their families

immediately when something like this 

happens.  It was all over the news and

we had no word from our child.  Almost 

every student has a phone these days and

if they don't, someone would loan them theirs.