BLACKSBURG (RNS)—The Holocaust survivor who helped save students' lives before dying during a shooting spree at Virginia Tech last April was named by Beliefnet.com as its Most Inspiring Person of the Year.
Professor Liviu Librescu, 76, was one of 32 killed at the school, but is credited with preventing more deaths by barricading the door of his classroom and telling students to jump out of windows to avoid the gunman.
“We stand at a moment in time when tragic acts like this week's shootings in Colorado and the horrible event at Virginia Tech that took Dr. Librescu's life have become disturbingly familiar,” said Deborah Caldwell, vice president of content and managing editor of Beliefnet.
“It is vitally important that we honor and acknowledge the selfless courage and sure-footed spirituality that guided Liviu Librescu—inspiring us as they did him—to be the best we can possibly be.”
Librescu is the eighth person to be honored as Beliefnet's Most Inspiring Person. Last year, the Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pa., was honored for its forgiving reaction to the murder of five schoolgirls in that community.