Raleigh News & Observer Logo

Lisa Parks: Mourning ‘a lovely person’ | Raleigh News & Observer

×
  • E-edition
    • Customer Service
    • Support
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Sponsorships
    • Stay connected
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Facebook
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Social Media Directory
    • N&O Store
    • Buy Photos
    • Databases
    • Archives
    • Newsletters

    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Health
    • Local
    • North Carolina
    • Nation/World
    • Science
    • Thumbs Up
    • Traffic
    • Weather
    • Weird News
    • All News
    • Counties
    • Durham County
    • Johnston County
    • Orange County
    • Wake County
    • All Sports
    • Baseball
    • Canes
    • College
    • Columns & Blogs
    • High Schools
    • NASCAR & Auto Racing
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • NHL
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Panthers
    • Soccer
    • Schools
    • Duke
    • East Carolina
    • NC State
    • North Carolina
    • All Politics
    • The North Carolina Influencer Series
    • State Politics
    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • PolitiFact
    • PolitiFact NC
    • Rob Christensen
    • Under the Dome
    • All Business
    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • Health Care
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Shop Talk
    • Stocks Center
    • Technology
    • All Living
    • Video Now
    • Best-Kept Secrets
    • Blogs
    • Celebrations
    • Comics
    • Family
    • Fashion
    • Fitness
    • Food
    • Games and Puzzles
    • Home and Garden
    • Horoscopes
    • Mouthful
    • Past Times
    • Pets
    • Religion
    • Travel
    • Video Now
    • Arts News
    • ArtsNow
    • Books
    • Contests
    • Dining
    • Entertainment
    • Games
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Television
    • On the Beat
    • Happiness is a Warm TV
    • All Opinion
    • Columnists
    • Dwane Powell
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Letters
    • Opinion Shop Blog
    • Other Views
    • Submit a Letter
  • Obituaries

    • Advertise with us
    • Place Ad
    • Apartments
    • Cars
    • Homes
    • Jobs
    • Legals
    • Obits/In Memoriams
    • Weddings
    • Today's Daily Deal
    • Special Sections
    • Today's Circulars
    • Rewards
    • Photo Store
  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Legals

Letters to the Editor

Lisa Parks: Mourning ‘a lovely person’

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 12, 2015 06:03 PM

I write this through tears. Yusor Abu-Salha was a student of mine at NCSU. She told me she took my physiology class because her husband-to-be had taken it the year before and liked me. She was also my advisee.

I remember how excited she was when she came to show me her engagement ring. I remember her timid request for a letter of recommendation to dental school. I remember handing her diploma to her at graduation. She was quietly intelligent and humble, kind and articulate. She was a pleasure to have in class.

I can’t begin to imagine how devastated her family is. I’m devastated. It doesn’t matter to me what the shooter’s motive is; there is no justification for his crime.

I know very little about Muslim culture. I grew up in a small coastal town in Florida with very little diversity. But I know there are good, kind, decent people who are Muslim, Christian and atheist. I know there are good, kind, decent people who are Republican, Democrat and Independent. There are also angry, violent people in all of the above groups.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

I pulled up the letter of recommendation I wrote for her in May. I wrote about her kindness and empathy. I wrote about her ability to make everyone in her class group feel like they were included. She was really a lovely person – inside and out.

Lisa Parks

Chapel Hill

  Comments  

Videos

Teacher asks Wake County to make schools safe for undocumented students

Meet Moros: A newly discovered tiny Tyrannosaur

View More Video

Trending Stories

John Harris warned his father about legal red flags involving Bladen operative

February 20, 2019 02:13 PM

Three observations from No. 8 North Carolina’s 88-72 road win over No. 1 Duke

February 21, 2019 02:18 AM

Zion Williamson injured as No. 1 Duke falls to No. 8 UNC

February 20, 2019 11:11 PM

Zion Williamson injured during Duke-UNC game after foot blows through shoe

February 20, 2019 09:53 PM

Transgender woman has asked to be moved from a men’s prison. So far, NC has said no.

February 20, 2019 01:42 PM

Read Next

2/20 Letters: Sen. Tillis, protect our coast.

Opinion

2/20 Letters: Sen. Tillis, protect our coast.

By Staff

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 19, 2019 06:15 PM

Offshore drilling threatens vital industries, and we need our representatives to recognize that.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Opinion

2/19 Letters: NC lawmakers step up for fair elections

February 19, 2019 12:00 AM
2/18 Letters: This isn’t the national emergency we should be worrying about.

Opinion

2/18 Letters: This isn’t the national emergency we should be worrying about.

February 17, 2019 12:00 AM
2/17 Letters: Protests will continue at Confederate events

Letters to the Editor

2/17 Letters: Protests will continue at Confederate events

February 16, 2019 12:00 AM
2/15 Letters: As Durham taxes rise, GOP is silent

Opinion

2/15 Letters: As Durham taxes rise, GOP is silent

February 14, 2019 07:16 PM
2/14 letters: Rep. Walter Jones was a leader for peace

Opinion

2/14 letters: Rep. Walter Jones was a leader for peace

February 13, 2019 07:54 PM
2/13 Letters: State Health Plan should put people before politics

Opinion

2/13 Letters: State Health Plan should put people before politics

February 13, 2019 12:00 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Raleigh News & Observer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Triangletoday.com
  • Legal Notices
Advertising
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Our Ads
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
  • N&O Store
  • N&O Photos
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Report News
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use


Back to Story