Technology saves day for NH parents of Virginia Tech students

Technology can be a godsend in a crisis.

When Donna Sproul of Londonderry heard about the shootings at Virginia Tech, where her son Jonathan goes to school, she couldn't reach him by telephone.

"My brother-in-law, who lives in Blacksburg (Va.), called me in a panic because he couldn't get hold of him," said Sproul.

After her own initial attempts failed, she went online and there he was.

"Thank God for instant messaging," said Sproul.

Michael Neverman of Londonderry said cell phone circuits were busy when he tried to call his daughter, Erica, a Virginia Tech freshman, yesterday morning.

Neverman then sent a text-message, sat back, and nervously waited for a response.

"About 10 minutes later she text-messaged me back saying she was OK," said Neverman, breathing another sigh of relief as he told the story.

Jonathan Sproul, a freshman, said the campus went into lockdown - meaning students couldn't leave the buildings they were in - minutes after he returned to his dormitory after a 9 a.m. class.

"Right now they're actually opening up the dining halls and we're allowed to go to eat," said Jonathan shortly after 2 p.m.

Classes, he said, were cancelled yesterday and all day today.

Sproul said other students on campus from New Hampshire that he knows were safe. He said he spoke with Paul Ahern of Londonderry, and another Granite-Stater, Ashley Morgenstern of Derry, posted online messages saying she was OK.

The lockdown order came from campus police via e-mails, said Sproul. Once he and his roommate heard the news they turned on a TV. "We haven't taken our eyes off it," he said.

When they took time to look outside, Sproul said police officers were everywhere. "They were surrounding the dorm next to us, with guns drawn," he said.

The dormitory where the first shootings happened at about 7:15 a.m., explained Sproul, is two buildings and about 200 yards away from his.

The shootings have been the only topic of conversation throughout the lockdown, said Sproul, but people started to relax a little bit by afternoon. "Right now it's pretty calm," he said, "but no one knows what to think."

Erica Neverman was in a physics class when the campus went into lockdown. Her father said he was especially nervous because she is an engineering major.

The second round of shootings took place in an engineering class in Norris Hall. "That was the scary part," said Neverman.

"It's obviously frustrating when you're a long way away," he said. "You feel so helpless."

Yesterday was actually the second day of shootings this school year at Virginia Tech.

Sproul, who is studying civil engineering, said three people were shot on campus during the first day of school last fall.

"I think they're random incidents," he said. "I don't see a pattern. I don't have any thoughts of transferring."

His mother said she also finds no fault with the school itself.

"We've been going to Blacksburg forever," said Donna Sproul. "It has been my child's dream to go to this school. It is the most beautiful school you could ever imagine and the safest town you could ever imagine. For this to happen is unbelievable."

Michael Neverman said uncertainty in the minutes and hours when the shootings were first reported turned into a mixed blessing for his household.

"I think we've discovered how blessed we are," he said, "because there have been a gazillion e-mails and messages and calls asking about (Erica) and sending prayers for our family."