Local Woman - a VTU Grad - Struggles with Tragedy

As V-Tech students and their families continue to mourn the loss of their fellow classmates, alumni are also reacting.

Katie Weaks of Springfield, a counselor at Burrell Behavioral Health, is a graduate of Virginia Tech.

Even with her professional training, Weaks is struggling with shock and confusion about the tragedy, just as students at VTU are.

Weaks spoke Tuesday with KOLR10's Marybeth Brush about her time at Virginia Tech and her struggle to make sense of what happened Monday.

Just walking through Weaks' apartment, you can tell the 2004 grad is proud of VTU.  From year books to blankets, pencil drawings of the campus to the wallpaper on her computer, Weaks is still very connected to Virginia Tech.

She was the class secretary for the class of 2004, a position she says she holds for life.

The news of the shootings left her fearful and frustrated.  Weaks was just with friends from Virginia Tech last weekend, during a trip there. 

"I'm just really confused and really wanting all the information like everyone else," Weaks says.  "I'm really wishing I could be there to do something  and to help to do anything I could and feeling so far away from it.  I just hope this turns out all right for everyone, thinking of everyone whose lost anyone, I can't imagine."

Weaks says She has confidence in the university and its staff.  She believes they will pull through this tragedy and come back from this.

Weaks was finally able to reach all her friends at the Virginia campus today, and learned they are all safe.