Ohio State Buckeyes Join Hokies In Honoring WDBJ’s Alison Parker And Adam Ward After Fatal Shooting
The Ohio State Buckeyes will join Virginia Tech in honoring the memory of two local television journalists, Alison Parker and Adam Ward, who were tragically killed in a shooting on August 26.
According to Fox Sports, the Buckeyes football team, who meet the Hokies Monday night in their season opener, asked for permission to wear the same helmet stickers as the Hokies on Labor Day night. The request was quickly granted by the Hokies team, according to Whit Babcock, the director of Athletics at Virginia Tech.
“Ohio State expressed a desire to show its solidarity with Virginia Tech in remembering the vibrant lives of Alison Parker and Adam Ward. Coach Beamer and I both agreed it was a wonderful gesture on the part of Gene Smith (Ohio State AD), Urban Meyer (head coach) and the Buckeyes. We hope fans of both teams join us in hopefully providing some solace to the friends, families and co-workers who continue to miss Alison and Adam.”
Parker and Ward were doing a live broadcast for Roanoke, Virginia’s WDBJ-7 last week at Smith Mountain Lake when they were killed.
According to WTVR-6, the Virginia Tech athletics department announced last Sunday that the Hokie players will wear a helmet sticker that features the No. 7 and teal and maroon ribbons, along with the initials of both victims.
Virginia Tech will wear helmet stickers honoring Alison Parker and Hokies alum Adam Ward against Ohio State. pic.twitter.com/CqC3rwM04s
— Sports Mancave (@SportsManCave) August 31, 2015
According to NBC Sports, the maroon ribbon represents Ward, who graduated from Virginia Tech in 2011 and teal was Parker’s favorite color.
According to the Associated Press, the decals honoring Parker and Ward were also worn by James Madison University players during Saturday’s season-opening game with Morehead State in memory of the two journalists.
JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne said the gesture is meant to unite the community.
“It is important for us as a community to come together in support after the tragic events of last week. Both Alison and Adam were shining lights for their alma maters, their families, their communities and their workplace at WDBJ.”
Scholarships have been established through both victims’ alma maters. Parker is a Martinsville High School graduate, a 2010 graduate of Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, Virginia, and a 2012 graduate James Madison University. Ward graduated from nearby Salem High School in Salem, Virginia, in 2007 before enrolling at Tech and earning his degree in communication.
Prior to Monday night’s season opener in Blacksburg, Virginia Tech will join the Ohio State Buckeyes in holding a 30-second moment of silence before the national anthem is performed.
[Image via Twitter/SportsTime Ohio]
