Remembering Leslie Sherman

Sherman and her father, Tony, enjoy the outdoors in Southwest Virginia

Sherman and her father, Tony, enjoy the outdoors in Southwest Virginia

Tom Susa, Oracle Editor

Nine years have come and gone, but every year since the tragic day in 2007 that claimed the lives of 32 people at Virginia Tech we take the time to remember the life and legacy of Leslie Sherman
Every student at here has seen her name, which is now inscribed on our track. They have passed over the letters painted proudly on the orange surface facing the bleachers, and they have all seen the smiling face of Leslie on the nearby memorial.
“She was a vivacious human being,” said Duke Baird, who was her track coach. “She wasn’t the greatest athlete, but she was a great human being she always gave it 110 percent and she was always smiling. I don’t think I ever saw her without a smile.”
This passion Sherman had on the track was not exclusive. Her smile and positive demeanor carried into all things she was involved in. This unrivaled love and kindness was often noted by those she met.
“She sat in the back corner of my class every day for lunch. I never had her in class but she was my student for four years,” said English teacher Brooke Nelson. “She was outgoing, friendly, amazing, and incredibly funny.”
That charm and charisma Leslie possessed could be seen best when she was doing the sport she loved. As a student at WS, she participated in 12 seasons of running sports that started in August of her freshman year and continued into the summer of her senior year. In her time off, Sherman continued to display a passion for running, eventually beginning training for the Marine Corps Marathon with the ambitious goal of beating Oprah Winfrey’s time.
“After her death, a 10K was held at Burke Lake to help raise money for a scholarship being set up in her name,” said Nelson. “Leslie was the only person who has ever gotten me to run.”
During Spring Break for the past seven years, a track meet has been held in her honor. The Leslie Sherman Invitational, organized by the WS track coaches and Sherman’s parents, beckoned track athletes from all over the region to compete together.
“I think it’s just a good thing for our program as a way to remember her and the kind of impact that her and other athletes like her had on the team when she was here and that it’s good for other teams for other teams to reflect on those types of athletes they have in their own program,” said track coach Chris Pellegrini.
April 16, for many, will begin as a normal Saturday. The alarm clocks will be off, breakfast will come at a normal hour, and life will go on without the recognition of the tragedy that stole the life of a fellow Spartan. On this special Saturday, take a moment to remember the life that Leslie lived and celebrate all the ways that she has touched WS.
James Percoco, who taught history at WS for more than 30 years said, “The great gift of Leslie was that she didn’t want to be the center of attention but she was a shining star anyway and people knew it.”