Collegiate Times

Harrington vigil

Gil said that the discovery of her daughter’s remains had helped to provide a sense of closure.

“We have recovered Morgan’s body,” she said, “now we are attempting to recover ourselves.”

Dan Harrington said during an emotional statement he has also found solace in Tuesday’s discovery.

“This is not the end, but there is some peace in closure,” he said.

Dan Harrington thanked the worldwide community for “holding up” his family during the 101 days that his daughter was missing.

“This community that has continued to be supportive and show us love and friendship — in this century, I think that has never occurred before,” he said.

Dan Harrington said he hopes his daughter’s death will be “not just a death but something that we go forward and remember.”

“Though one person killed Morgan,” he said, “there are many people who love Morgan.”

Many of those people braved below-freezing weather to gather together and share their memories and their sorrow.

Adriann Lester, a 2009 graduate of the UVa, has known the Harrington family since she played basketball with Morgan’s brother Alex when he was seven years old.

“She loved her family,” Lester said. “I loved her family.”

Morgan Harrington has been frequently remembered not just for her love of her family but for her love of others. During her high school summers, she volunteered at a camp for children with disabilities, directed by Deborah Duerke, a long-time friend of the Harrington family.

“This is an exceptional family,” Duerke said. “They’re something we can all learn from.”

Duerke said the thing she finds more important in light of the recent announcement of Morgan’s death is “to make sure nobody forgets.”

Jennifer Henderson, a Tech interdisciplinary studies professor reached by phone Monday, said Morgan Harrington had recently joined the education program in IDST.

She was in Henderson’s Women and Creativity class in spring 2009. Henderson remembered Morgan and her work because it was a fairly small class.

Henderson recalled Morgan being a talented artist.

“She painted a portrait of a woman and infant — it was clear she had a lot of talent. It was a lovely painting.”

Henderson called the death a “horrible tragic waste of a lovely person.”

She also remembered an essay Morgan wrote about becoming a teacher.

“I’m sure she would have made a wonderful school teacher,” she said.

After those gathered in the Harrington family’s neighborhood joined in a stirring chorus of the song “Let There be Peace on Earth” and a closing prayer, many went forward to write notes of encouragement on poster boards bearing the 2-4-1 symbol, a family phrase that has become a rallying point for those searching for Morgan.

The Harrington family traditionally, as they leave the house, says to one another, “I love you too much, forever, and once more.” Those were the last words Morgan Harrington said to her mother Gil Harrington the day she disappeared.

“2-4-1 will always be a part of us,” one person wrote, “as will you.”

While Friday offered a chance for the community to find closure, Jarels said the search for Harrington’s killer is still a priority.

“It’s been an amazing journey,” Jarels said, “but we’re not there yet, because we’ve got to find the guy who did this.”

The Associated Press reported that the discovery of Harrington’s remains have generated a new surge of credible leads in the investigation.

Authorities are still examining the remains as they continue their investigation.

Editor-in-chief Sara Mitchell and news reporter Gordon Block contributed to this report.

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A version of this article appeared in the Feb 2 issue of the Collegiate Times.