THIS WEEKEND MARKS 10 YEARS
SINCE THE DEADLIEST SCHOOL
SHOOTING IN THE NATION'S
HISTORY.
32 INNOCENT PEOPLE WERE KILLED
WHEN AN ARMED CLASSMATE OPENED
FIRE.
DOZENS OF OTHERS WERE WOUNDED.
ONE OF THE VICTIMS WAS SMITH
FIELDS NICOLE WHITE, A SOPHOMORE
MAJORING IN INTERNATIONAL
STUDIES.
JASON SPOKE WITH WHITE'S
PARENTS ON THAT TRAGIC DAY.
REPORTER: REPO FOR PATRICIA AND MIKE
WHITE, PAIN OF LOSING THE CALL
WILL NEVER GO AWAY.
FOR THEM, THE 10 YEAR MARK IS
JUST A NUMBER, BECAUSE THEY
REMEMBER ALL THE LIVES LOST,
INCLUDING THE ONE OF A REDHEAD
LIVED LIFE TO THE FULLEST.
THIS IS ABOUT AN HOUR TO AN
HOUR AND A HALF AGO.
THIS IS THE CALL WE HAVE BEEN
DEALT.
THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT
IT.
REPORTER: 32 FAMILIES WERE DEALT
THAT HAND IN THE WORST SHOOTING
-- WORST SCHOOL SHOOTING IN
HISTORY.
THE LIFE-CHANGING EVENT
HAPPENING JUST BEFORE 10:00 A.M.
AT VIRGINIA TECH.
20-YEAR-OLD THE COLD WHITE WAS
IN GERMAN CLASS.
HER PARENTS WERE STILL AT WORK.
I DID NOT PUT TWO AND TWO
TOGETHER THAT SHE WAS STILL IN
THE BUILDING.
REPORTER: GUNFIRE ECHOED THROUGH
THE HALLS AND INTO THE
CLASSROOMS.
A FELLOW STUDENT, HEAVILY ARMED,
OPENED FIRE.
WE GOT ON THE GROUND QUICK
AND HE CONTINUED TO SHOOT.
REPORTER: NEWS OF THE MASS
SHOOTING CONTINUED TO SPREAD.
I COULD NOT GET ANYBODY UP
THE PHONE.
REPORTER: AT THAT POINT, THE
WHITES HEADED TO BLACKSBURG.
MINUTES TURNED TOWERS.
STILL NO WORD FROM THE COLD. --
FROM NICOLE.
I REMEMBER PRESIDENT BUSH
SPEAKING.
I WAS SITTING IN A
ROOM, ONE OF
THE CONFERENCE ROOMS AT THE
HOTEL, WAITING TO FIND OUT WHERE
SHE WAS.
SHE WAS THE LAST ONE THEY
IDENTIFIED.
ONE PERSON IN YOUR LIFE
CHANGES EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING
YOU WERE HOPING FOR.
SHE WAS A BRIGHT,
CHEERFUL,
LOVING, CARING, PASSIONATE,
VIVACIOUS REDHEAD.
EVERY DAY, WE THINK OF HER.
REPORTER: BACK HOME IN
SMITHFIELD, THERE ARE REMINDERS
OF THE TRAGEDY EVERYWHERE YOU
LOOK.
NICOLE WHITE MADE THE MOST OF
HER YOUNG LIFE.
SHE WAS A VOLUNTEER EMT, PITCHED
IN THAT LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTERS
AND BATTERED WOMEN'S SHELTERS.
SHE WORKED AT THE YMCA.
SHE WAS THE FIRST LIFEGUARD
HIRED.
SHE WAS KIND OF THE CELEBRITY.
REPORTER: EVEN AFTER HER DEATH,
NICOLE IS STILL GIVING BACK.
THE YMCA SET UP A SCHOLARSHIP IN
HER NAME, GOING TO A SMITHFIELD
HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR MAKING A
DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT HAS BEEN 10 YEARS SINCE MIKE
AND TRICIA WHITE HAVE BEEN LIKE
-- BEEN BACK TO BLACKSBURG.
THEY ARE STILL NOT READY.
THE DECADE-OLD PAIN WILL NEVER
GO AWAY.
IT IS HARD TO GO TO HER
FRIENDS' WEDDINGS.
THE POSSIBILITY OF WHAT HAD
BEEN, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE
WALKED HER DOWN THE AISLE AND
GAVE HER AWAY IN MARRIAGE.
I WOULD LOVE MY WIFE TO BE
PLANNING A BABY SHOWER FOR.
WE ALWAYS
LOOK FORWARD TO THE
GRANDCHILDREN WE WOULD HAVE.
CERTAINLY THAT IS SOMETHING WE
HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT MANY TIMES.
REPORTER: THE WHITES' FOCUS IS
NOW ON LIVING, LIVING THE SAME
WAY NICOLE DID WHEN SHE WAS
HERE.
YOU SHOULD HUG YOUR CHILD
EVERY DAY.
YOU SHOULD CHERISH EVERY SECOND
YOU GET WITH THEM, BECAUSE YOU
NEVER KNOW WHAT TOMORROW BRINGS.
REPORTER: THIS SUNDAY, THE
WHITES WILL BE IN THE OUTER
BANKS.
EVERY APRIL 10, THEY ARE THERE
TO TOSS A BOTTLE OF LETTERS FROM
FAMILY INTO THE OCEAN.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE
NICOLE WHITE SCHOLARSHIP, GO TO
WAVY.COM.
JASON MARKS, 10 ON YOUR SIDE.
CHRIS: YOU CAN HEAR MORE OF
JASON'S INTERVIEW WITH NICOLE
WHITES FAMILY ON WAVY.COM.