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A Virginia Tech student is dead after an apparent suicide.
Kevin Lawall, a Tech freshman, committed suicide today at his home in Northern Virginia, according to multiple sources close to the family.
Lawall and his older sister Jennifer Lawall, a senior at Tech, attended Westfield High School in Chantilly, Va.
Kevin Lawall played baseball at Westfield. He was a pitcher.
Friends of Lawall were writing on his Facebook wall Thursday afternoon offering condolences.
"Rest in peace Kevin, praying for your family," one wrote.
University administrators could not comment on the event.
Spokesperson Larry Hincker said Thursday evening that neither he nor the Dean of Students office had been made aware of Lawall's death.
A version of this article appeared in the Oct 29 issue of the Collegiate Times.
Leave a comment 26 Comments Write a letter to the editor
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kevin was such a good person, it's sad to know that he's gone. RIP kevin, forever in our hearts
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This is very sad to read, praying for his friends and family
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i went to elementary school with him and regretfully didnt talk to him after i switched schools. this breaks my heart to hear...i know ur missed kevin. forever young <3 rip
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This is such a heartbreaking tragedy. I would like to express my deepest sympathies to his family and friends. Such a devastating loss of a promising young life.
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I wonder if he was depressed about the death of the kid from Chantilly who got killed last month when he was hit by a car while drunk named Bo Rupp. That was his last fb post on Sept 26. RIP Bo
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you are in the hearts and prayers of the hokie nation.
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suicide is the coward's way out, and according to the Bible he will spend an eternity in hell for taking his own life. i bet he's realizing things weren't so bad now that he's in hell. I'm not trying to be mean but the Bible clearly states what happens to those who commit suicide. Christian Hokies tell the truth even when it hurts.
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This comment has been buried by moderation (show comment)
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good thing the bible is a work of fiction
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The post by anonymous is offensive. It should be removed from these boards.
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Kevin was my cousin and he was the sweetest boy with loving parents. They would have done anything to help him and nobody knew what was coming, but depression is a very serious illness and should not be taken lightly. I thank God that there are so many loving and compassionate people on here - it's always one loser that has to be so judgemental and in fact are the ones with even more serious mental issues - hope it doesn't happen to his family - only then will they see the pain of reckless and ignorant words.
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Your statement proves you are not a Christian because Jesus was merciful and loving and forgiving. Suicide is a fatal symptom of a mental health issue not a character flaw.
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why does religion even have to be brought into this? some people are driven to suicide by obvious mental issues that they can't control unless seen by a professional. i'm not justifying suicide but there are a lot of things that cause people to do what they do.
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For someone who is "not trying to be mean", cruelty seems to come quite naturally to you, "Anonymous". In any case, your ignorant comment is irrelevant. The Biblical admonition to keep the body as a temple made by God is not up to you to police or enforce, it's up to God. By your rude, uncalled-for statements, you are meddling in a matter that concerns only the deceased and his God. We are all equally sinners to God, and your attempt to place yourself above others smacks of pride.
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Actually, the bible doesn't say he will spend an eternity in hell ... maybe you should re-read it. It says that anyone that destroys His temple will be destroyed. Well, obviously if they're dead they are destroyed. You know, dust to dust. God knows when people are going to die. He obviously had bigger plans for this young man. Christian Hokies tell the truth even when it hurts ... and when it is indeed the truth. Rest in peace, Kevin.
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WWJP
What would Jesus post?
Jerk.
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Whether that is true or not, which I am unwilling to comment, that was neither the time nor the place for a comment such as that.
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Do you even know the History of how christianity came about? Then you would know it is made up of different religions and stories. The people in churches back in the medieval times chose what stories they liked best and put them together. So before you go preaching your beliefs, make sure you actually do the research. Religion if anything, is gracious during a time of death despite how it happened.
If this was someone you loved, you would not be saying these rude, cruel, remarks, when it is a time to grieve. You are as bad as the Westboro Baptist Church.
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This post is completely inappropriate.
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I am truly sorry for this young man...it is very sad...That being said, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS SCHOOL or area. This is the same school that schooled:
1) F Head Cho
2) 5 HS students that died from HEROIN overdoses over the last 3 yrs.
3) and now this...
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Virginia Tech has a counseling center. Before Cho there was only one psychiatrist on staff for a student body of over 20,000 people. After Cho, there is still only one psychiatrist on staff. Rather than avoid letting people fall through the cracks, Cook Counseling will charge $25 for late shows and will refuse to see or prescribe medication for sick individuals if they miss over 3 appointments in a row.
Real smart.
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thank you for this admonition; I've been preaching the same thing for years. When I was a sophomore, I was lucky enough to realize that three nominal counseling sessions at cook would not be enough for me to recover from debilitating depression, anxiety, and agoraphobia. I'm a townie so my parents found a therapist for me here. I was seeing my therapist in 2007 when Cho killed several of my friends and a mentor. I asked my therapist why so many people at Tech do not receive adequate treatment, and why someone as troubled as Cho had not had help. She mentioned the lack of therapists/psychiatrists as well as the high turnover rate, and the fact that for people like Cho there is no connection between the school and the state's mental records of a person (in the case of Cho, the Judge had ordered him into therapy the previous December after his spate of stalking women and brandishing guns - the school never knew of this order and thus he never went since it is otherwise voluntary.) I'm pretty certain it is illegal to make anyone's medical records public but if someone is so ill that a judge is ordering them into treatment, something needs to be done there.
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Even without the suicide rate (really look into the recesses of the news back into 2000 and you'll see quite a few; some won't be mentioned here even..) there are a lot of people who need help for various reasons. One professional per 30k students isn't adequate. Let's stop building tanning beds in dorms and buying research equipment only accessible to businesses and hire some more mental health professionals so we won't lose any more precious lives like Mr. Lawall's (my condolences to his family and friends)
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Jeniffer is in my class. I was so shocked to hear this news. I hope her and her family the best at this difficult moment
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Religious people just pick and choose what they want to believe, pretty funny stuff.
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