RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — At least six of the 32 dead in the April 16 massacre at Virginia Tech had ties to Baptist churches in Virginia, say Baptist leaders who are monitoring emerging details of the deadly shooting.
MSNBC has gathered the stories of the victims — much of it from readers of MSN.com. In addition, friends and fellow church members of those killed have circulated information through emails and phone conversations with Baptists across Virginia.
Here is what is known about the six with Baptist ties:
— Brian Bluhm, 25, was active in the Baptist collegiate ministries at Virginia Tech and attended Blacksburg Baptist Church, adjacent to the campus. Bluhm, who received a degree in civil engineering, was preparing to defend his graduate thesis about water resources. Born in Iowa and raised in Detroit, he had already accepted a job in Baltimore. Bluhm's parents moved to Winchester, Va., while he was in school, so Blacksburg became his real home, said Bluhm's close friend Michael Marshall of Richmond, Va.
Bluhm was an ardent fan of the Detroit Tigers baseball team, which announced his death before last Tuesday's game against Kansas City. “He went to a game last weekend and saw them win, and I'm glad he did,” Marshall said. Bluhm also loved Virginia Tech's Hokies football team and often traveled to away games with a close group of friends. But Marshall said it was Bluhm's faith and work with the Baptist college ministry that his friend loved most. “Brian was a Christian, and first and foremost that's what he would want to be remembered as,” he said.
— Austin Cloyd, 18, was a freshman majoring in international studies and French. Cloyd, who attended Blacksburg Baptist Church, moved with her family from Champaign, Ill., to Blacksburg in 2005 when her father took a job in the accounting department at Virginia Tech.
Before moving, the Cloyds were active in First United Methodist Church in Champaign, said pastor Terry Harter. Cloyd was so inspired by an Appalachian service project to help rehabilitate homes that she and her mother started a similar program in their native Illinois town, her former pastor said.
The Methodist pastor, whose Illinois church held a prayer service for the family, described Cloyd as a “very delightful, intelligent, warm young lady” and an athlete who played basketball and volleyball in high school. But it was the mission trips to Appalachia that showed just how caring and faithful she was, he said. “It made an important impact on her life. That's the kind of person she was,” he said.
— Caitlin Hammaren, 19, also attended Blacksburg Baptist Church. She was a sophomore majoring in international studies and French, according to officials at her former school district in Westtown, N.Y.
“She was just one of the most outstanding young individuals that I've had the privilege of working with in my 31 years as an educator,” said John Latini, principal of Minisink Valley High School, where she graduated in 2005. “Caitlin was a leader among our students.” Minisink Valley students and teachers shared their grief Tuesday at a counseling center set up in the school, Latini said.
— Rachael Hill, 18, of Richmond, Va., was a freshman studying biology. She graduated from Grove Avenue Christian School, which is affiliated with Grove Avenue Baptist Church in Richmond. Hill, an only child, was popular, had a penchant for shoes and was competitive on the volleyball court.
“Rachael was a very bright, articulate, intelligent, beautiful, confident, poised young woman. She had a tremendous future in front of her,” said Clay Fogler, administrator for the Grove Avenue school. “Obviously, the Lord had other plans for her.”
— Jarrett Lane, 22, from Narrows, Va., was a senior majoring in civil engineering who was valedictorian of his high school class. A member of First Baptist Church in Narrows, Va., Lane's high school put up a memorial to him that included pictures, musical instruments and his athletic jerseys. Lane played the trombone, ran track and played football and basketball at Narrows High School. “We're just kind of binding together as a family,” Principal Robert Stump said.
Lane's brother-in-law Daniel Farrell called Lane “full of spirit” and fun-loving. “He had a caring heart and was a friend to everyone he met,” Farrell said. “We are leaning on God's grace in these trying hours.”
— Nicole White, 20, of Carrollton, Va., was a junior majoring in international studies and German. White, a member of Nansemond River Baptist Church in Suffolk, Va., graduated from Smithfield High School in 2004, according to The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk. White worked at a YMCA as a lifeguard and was an honor student in high school, the newspaper reported.
Laurie Guiffre wrote to MSNBC.com that she had grown up with White, remembering her friend as a person of great character with a genuine love for animals. “I keep trying to come to terms with the fact that she is no longer here and I will never see her again.” Guiffre wrote.
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