Update: Check out this account from a student of Librescu’s. Librescu apparently had published more than any other professor in VT’s history. His academic page is here.
From among the carnage of yesterday’s shootings comes this story:
Israeli professor of Romanian origin Liviu Librescu numbers among those killed in the Virginia Tech University massacre on Monday. According to the International Herald Tribune, Librescu sacrificed his life to save his students. He had blocked the access to the his class so that students can run from the attacker.
Librescu, 77, was teaching at the Virginia Tech University for 20 years.
Israeli media also announce the death of Liviu Librescu. The online edition of the Jerusalem Post reports that he was shot to death, while ynetnews.com writes that he was killed during his attempt to block the access to the class.
Alec Calhoun, a student who witnessed his death, told the Associated Press that he saw her teacher blocking the door to the class while some of her colleagues were hiding, while others were jumping out of the window.
Liviu Librescu clearly was a man who knew how to die well. Our prayers and condolences go out to his family, who at least have the comfort of knowing the man they lost was truly great.
(HT: Modestly Yours)