[SandyC]

It's like it happened yesterday. We were in Alabama tending to my mother who had brain surgery when we got the call from our youngest son. NIU had a shooter on campus and we couldn't get in touch with our oldest son. It was a moment in time I never want anyone to ever have to experience. For one hour our lives stood still. Many thanks to God, my sons were OK but so many other lives were lost. One man, one gun and no reason why.

Please help me keep them in prayer as their families, students and staff try to get through this week. Saturday will be one year.

[GmaSue]

That had to be one very long long scary hour.
It's heartbreaking that so many others had to lose their lives for no reaon.

[ewizabeth]

I'm sort of worried about the anniversary. I hope there aren't any twisted individuals out there with any ideas.

[karousel]

I can't believe it's been a year already. It feels like it just happened because I remember how scared I was for you and your sons. I will keep everyone in my prayers and hope this year anniversary passes quickly and smoothly.

[DM]

Time sure has a way of getting away from us. I'm sure all the local channels will carry some sort of memorial for the victims of that awful tragedy. Thanks for reminding us to remember the families and lift them up in prayers, Sandy.

[soxmom]

such senseless stuff......the families will be in my prayers.

[SandyC]

There will be several memorials planned for that day, one being a Greek (fraternity/sorority) walk to MLK the boys are participating in. I think NIU is also planning a memorial at the convo center as well.

DM, you know I am praying for your friends who lost their daughter that day.

Wiz, I pray no one plans something dumb and hope they have security in place just in case.

Gma, it seems we'll never know why this boy decided to take so many lives. The hardest part is he was seen sitting in front of MLK with a guitar case which held the gun that killed so many.

Karousel, it was scary. I remember I was at the mall with my brother when we got the call. Jim was at the hotel. I was frantically calling my oldest son and couldn't get through due to the lines being clogged up. I finally got him through a text and he wrote "I am in a classroom and they told us the shooter is on campus and we don't know where he is." He didn't know if he should run, stay put or what. I tried to stay calm and tell him to just stay where he was until he heard more. He was scared as were so many other students. Like I said, I never want anyone to feel the defeat I felt that day.

Sox, thank you. My heart goes out to the families and students. I am so grateful for having my boys but I also know how close we came to losing them. I sit here thinking of each life lost and how it happened. It was so senseless.