Apr 17 2007
“A good man in a world of hate”
… said a commentor from the Jerusalem Post.
What greater love is there that a man would lay down his life for another? This man survived the Holocaust, and yesterday he stood between his students and yet another murderer. Not an SS vermin, but a mass murderer nonetheless. May the Lord keep him in the palm of his hand and never let him go…
Israeli professor killed in US attack
By JPOST.COM STAFF AND APAs Jews worldwide honored on Monday the memory of those who were murdered in the Holocaust, a 76-year-old survivor sacrificed his life to save his students in Monday’s shooting at Virginia Tech College that left 33 dead and over two dozen wounded.
Professor Liviu Librescu, 76, threw himself in front of the shooter when the man attempted to enter his classroom. The Israeli mechanics and engineering lecturer was shot to death, “but all the students lived - because of him,” Virginia Tech student Asael Arad - also an Israeli - told Army Radio.
Several of Librescu’s other students sent e-mails to his wife, Marlena, telling of how he had blocked the gunman’s way and saved their lives, said Librescu’s son, Joe.
“My father blocked the doorway with his body and asked the students to flee,” Joe Librescu said in a telephone interview from his home outside of Tel Aviv. “Students started opening windows and jumping out.”
Librescu was respected in his field, his son said.
“His work was his life, in a sense,” said Joe. “That was a good place for him to practice his research.”
The couple immigrated to Israel from Romania in 1978. They then moved to Virginia in 1986 for his sabbatical and had stayed since then, Joe told Army Radio.
You can read the rest here.
(hat tip: American Thinker)
This gentleman truly lived his last moments on earth serving God. I hadn’t read about this yet, and I’m glad you posted about him. It’s horrific, yet somehow powerful to hear about at the same time.
Tami,
I wanted to write something more, some fitting tribute, but I just haven’t the words. In a very real way, this is hitting many people similar to 9/11 but on a smaller scale. It’s certainly hitting me that way…