theinferior4+1 - Horrid news of a possible death

Ah me.

this is all just horrible beyond words

Oh Paul, that's terrible, terrible news. My heart goes out to Mike and his family and everyone who knows them.

I hope that this will turn out to be a false alarm. I can only imagine what the Bishops are going through, and my heart goes out to them. But even if this report is proved wrong, so many have lost loved ones; so many lives senselessly ended or warped by some asshole with easy access to firearms.

I'm sorry to hear of this.

What a waste. So very sad.

Mike Bishop is a very good man, and I'm very much hoping this news is a mistake.

Please post as soon as you know, whatever the news.

So, so sad.
May it be a false alarm.

As if the news were not already terrible enough.

How horrible.

Jamie and Steffi are German profs at Virginia Tech. I've been trying to find word about them since I heard about the shootings. Doubly so since I read it was a German class. Don't let this be it.

I hate to be the bearer of further confirmation, but...

"I saw bullets hit people's body," Sheehan said. "There was blood everywhere." She added, "My professor, Herr Bishop, I'm not sure if he's alive.""

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/04/16/ap3618509.html

I'm sorry to have to add this, but I thought people would want to know.

Words fail me.

Oh no. Oh god. Poor Mike and Geri.

Please let us know what you find out. In the meantime, I'll send up a prayer for the Bishop family.

This was the LJ post I did not want to see.

This is grievous news.

Oh my God. I sincerely hope this isn't true.

To the Bishops, my regrets and sorrow.

To the community that supports them....my respect and admiration.

To ALL those dead and injured and traumatized -- my prayers.

Peg

I hope so much this isn't true, Paul. Having lost a son - I hope so much that this has not happened to their family.

This makes an already-awful day much worse. Condolences to all who lost friends and loved ones today.

The sad news is true. I just got off the phone a little while ago with a friend of Jamie's, and he confirmed that Jamie died around 5 p.m.

I am so damn upset about this.

As horrible as the news already was, this makes it all the worse for people who know Mike. Devastating is too ineffective a word.

D

Sorry, my mouse is broken, making this computer difficult to use.
But I regret to report this page seems to confirm the terrible news:

http://news.bostonherald.com/national/south/view.bg?articleid=195169

'One of the slaying victims was young German instructor Jamie Bishop, whose wife, Stefanie Hofer, also teaches German at the college but was unharmed.

'"Jamie was a very nice man. He was dedicated to what he did," said grief-stricken friend Troy Paddock, whose wife, Mary, also teaches German and was comforting Bishop's widow last night. "He will be missed."

'Troy Paddock said he and Bishop - who was completing his second year at Virgina Tech - tried to have lunch once a week. "I haven?t been able to wrap my head around it," he said of the rampage.

'"This was a young, energetic, vivacious guy," said Kenneth Surin, who is married to French professor Janell Watson. Surin said his wife's colleagues were desperately trying to locate a French professor.

'The 33 deaths make it the deadliest mass shooting in United States history, eclipsing a 1991 shooting in Killeen, Texas, that left 23 dead, including gunman George Hennard.'

Paul, I tried to send this to you privately, but your EarthLink email address bounced with the error that "the user account is over quota."

--Mike Blake

I never met Jamie but we swapped several emails when he was working on the cover artwork for Mike's wonderful collection of essays A REVERIE FOR MISTER RAY, which PS put out a couple of years ago. He did a fantastic job. The news of his brutal murder -- let's not mess around with phrases like 'untimely death' -- devasted ME, so one can only imagine what it's done to Mike and Geri. Nobody should have to bury their kids -- it should be some kind of cosmic rule. My thoughts and prayers -- plus a whole skyload of good karma -- go out to them.

Oh my god. I never met Jamie, but I know Mike, and there is no kinder, more gentlemanly person in the field. This is just unbelievable. The poor family.

This is such awful, awful news. 33 needless deaths. To the Bishop family and to everyone who has lost someone they love, you have my deepest condolences.

Alan F

Beyond belief, beyond sadness, beyond anything but thoughts of Mike and Jeri and all of the other families.

Keith Ferrell

I'm at a loss for words. My thoughts and prayers are with Mike, Geri, and Jamie's wife Steffi as hell as his sister Stephanie. I've known them for over thirty years and I don't know what to say.

I love all of you and all of us at Baryon are prayoing for you.

Barry Hunter
Baryon Online

Oh my God, Michael, I'm so sorry to read this. If there's anything, however small, that I can do, please don't hesitate to ask.

Bill Schafer

Thank you for sending the news. But this is awful. My heart goes out to Michael and his family.

I met Jamie on several occasions. One of his artworks hangs on our living room wall. As I just posted, it seems as if I've known Mike and Jeri forever. Sad doesn't even begin to cover it.

What terrible news. Our deepest condolences to the Bishop family and friends.

My condolences to the Bishop family and friends and all the other families with victims in this tragedy.

Much strength in the horrible days ahead.

I met Jaime and instantly liked him, and I have artist friends who knew him well. His father is a good guy too. My heart goes out to their family. This is awful.

My family feel devastated. I've known Jamie all his life, and he was so much like his dad and mom--a kind, gentle, caring, intelligent young man. Our hearts go out to the Bishop family.
-Brad Strickland

I have said it elsewhere but don't hesitate to say it all over again: I knew and liked Jamie Bishop ever since he was five years old, and I went so far, when he was about nine or ten, as to get him hooked on comic books. He didn't hold it against me after he grew up to be a smart, sweet, swell man. I can't imagine how his parents, who are dear, good people and longtime friends of mine, feel right now. I can't even tell you how I feel,

Jamie was a good friend and fellow Toli player at UGA. I somewhat sheepishly admit he was in many ways the inspiration for every 'no he really is that nice' character I've ever written. He proved to me that you can be smart, funny, kind, and deep all at once. I remember nothing but joy from him. It is a sad sad day for everyone who knew him and for those who now will never have the chance to know him.
He was well liked, well loved, and will be deeply deeply missed.
Hyla

Jamie was a good friend and fellow Toli player at UGA. I somewhat sheepishly admit he was in many ways the inspiration for every 'no he really is that nice' character I've ever written. He proved to me that you can be smart, funny, kind, and deep all at once. I remember nothing but joy from him. It is a sad sad day for everyone who knew him and for those who now will never have the chance to know him.
He was well liked, well loved, and will be deeply deeply missed.
Hyla

double post ... sorry
Hyla

Sending love and prayers for healing to all those touched by this tragic event. -Jaime Ray