Ryan Clark Honored at Former High School
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Ryan Clark Honored at Former High School
The Lakeside High School football game was not the only attention getter, this football Friday night. Special guests came from Virginia to honor a former Lakeside student. Count on our Fraendy Clervau...
The Lakeside High School football game was not the only attention getter, this football Friday night. Special guests came from Virginia to honor a former Lakeside student. Count on our Fraendy Clervaud. He has the story.
Evans, GA—Letitie Clark takes a walk on Lakeside High School’s football stadium before band members from Virginia Tech honor her son. She says Friday night’s band tribute opens doors to so many memories.
Letitie Clark, Ryan Clark’s mother: “Amazing and then sadness…because I love my child and I wish he was here to be a part of this.”
Her son, Ryan Clark, was just one of the 33 people gunned down at Virginia Tech, two years ago. He was a member of The Marching Virginians, and to honor him, 370 band members came to play before and during the football game. One band member says she and Ryan were close friends.
Allison Wood, Ryan’s friend: “We called him ‘Stack’ and he was just always joyfully. He always had time to talk to you, no matter how busy he was, or what he was doing. He just genuinely cared about the people around him.”
Ryan’s mother says she continues to live life, even though it’s hard knowing that her son was murdered.
Letitie Clark: “Each day, I try to put one foot in front of the other, but I have such a community that gives me there shoulder to lay on.”
Ryan’s mother says, since his death, she set up a scholarship fund and community service award in his name. This award will help a Richmond County or Columbia County student with college.
Letitie Clark: “We’d like to see students giving of their community and just going forward, doing possible things.”
The Marching Virginians also played alongside the Lakeside High School band and the Evans High School band. Wood says students at Virginia Tech are trying to move forward.
Allison Wood: “In a lot of ways it’s gotten back to normal. People are really excited about football season to start but the memories are always with us. And everybody is always conscious that something big happened and so our lives are different because of it.”
Ryan’s mother has this word of advice for parents.
Letitie Clark: “Hold on to the love that you have for your child, or your loved one. Know that you have to lean on someone, and take each day one day one hour at a time.”
Tune into WJBF News Channel 6 at 7:00 p.m., on Monday night. We will be airing a commercial-free 30 minute tribute to Ryan Clark.
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