Virgina Tech has a history of showcasing their support in a show of unity for victims of deadly mass shootings, and that tradition will continue on Saturday. In the first game played since the horrific massacre in Las Vegas at an outdoor concert event claimed over 50 lives and injured hundreds more, Virginia Tech will add a special ribbon decal to the back of their helmets this weekend with the words “Prevail” and “Las Vegas” inscribed, along with the Virginia Tech logo.
UNLV will be wearing specially-designed helmets to pay tribute to the victims and heroes of Sunday night’s mass shooting with a black helmet and red ribbon in place of a school logo. Their opponent, San Diego State, will also pay tribute with a ribbon decal on their helmets. Nevada will also add a memorial ribbon decal to their helmets in a show of solidarity with those in Las Vegas.
Here is the special helmet @unlvfootball will wear Saturday in tribute to the victims and in honor of the heroes from Sunday. #VegasStrong pic.twitter.com/ojJ49mhSFl
— UNLV Athletics (@UNLVathletics) October 4, 2017
Virgina Tech has been known to reach out in a show of unity for locales hit by this type of senseless tragedy ever since experiencing one on their own campus. In 2007, an on-campus shooting resulted in 32 lives being lost and 17 more being injured. From that point on, Virginia Tech has shown support in the form of a simple memorial or tribute decal on the football uniform following shooting incidents in 2012 following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut and following a shooting of two local journalists during a live television broadcast.
It is unfortunate that such tributes and shows of support are needed, but it can be comforting to know the Virgina Tech community understands the pain being experienced elsewhere in a time of need.
