No lives remain untouched when violence hits close to home

McHenry County Undersheriff Gene Lowery knows well the hell of fear for an injured child.

He and his wife kept a non-stop vigil at their son's bedside for long weeks after Nick Lowery was critically injured in a car crash a couple of years ago.

It was with great joy the Lowerys saw their son recover and make his way to Northern Illinois University, where his sister also is a student.

And it was that protective parent instinct that immediately kicked in when the veteran law enforcement officer happened to be on campus to pick up his son for a follow-up doctor's appointment Thursday afternoon.

"There's been a shooting," said a student racing past Lowery just outside the home his children share shortly after 3 p.m. He knew his son was safe inside the house, but his daughter was on campus. Like hundreds of area parents, he grabbed his phone.

"She was in tears," the worried dad said. "She had been walking out of the library -- that's real close to where this happened -- and a bunch of kids were running out of there. They all took refuge ... were crying, scared, very emotional.

"It really hit close to home," Lowery said. "The first thing you think about is you react as a parent and your concern goes out to your kids. That became priority number one," he said. "The next thing that kicks in because you've been a police officer is to try to assess the scope of what's happened."

The scarring scope became clear as a surreal steady stream of ambulances, squads and emergency vehicles raced past, sirens wailing the whir of helicopters chopping the skies overhead. Five students and the shooter were dead. Another 16 students were injured.

"What a horrible tragedy," Lowery said. "It doesn't get any worse."

No, it doesn't.

Chilling reality

To all who have been touched by this, it is chilling to see how quickly the innocence of life is altered by the insane. And the rash of school shootings is nothing but insane. My heart goes out to you all. It is difficult to see such fear and sadness mark young lives.

And it is devastating to know that, yet again, someone has lost a child, a friend, a student who held such promise. We have got to figure out a way to stop this from happening again.

Extended family

I was honored Friday to talk with Dundee-Crown High School principal Lynn McCarthy and orchestra and jazz director Mark Bettcher about a young lady who clearly has touched many. Ryanne Mace, 19, of Carpentersville brought her love for music and laughter wherever she went before the NIU gunman robbed her family and friends of her future. It is impossible to fathom such loss. "We're all just sick about it," said Bettcher, who has known the talented musician since she was in sixth grade.

As we gathered information to honor the victims, we heard of and from other teachers deeply touched by this tragedy. It is clear our children are not just names in a classroom.

As Mark Bettcher said, they're part of a close-knit family. And a lot of families are hurting right now.

• Amy R. Mack's column appears Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. She can be reached at (847) 931-5725; by fax (847) 608-0849; via mail at 385 Airport Road, Suite A, Elgin, IL 60123-9341; or by e-mail: amack@dailyherald.com.