Virginia played its first home football game in 10 months on Saturday and went in hoping to create a high point in what remains a long, emotional journey that started in a horrific way.
Virginia played its first home football game in 10 months on Saturday and went in hoping to create a high point in what remains a long, emotional journey that started in a horrific way.
Tributes and dedications for three players slain in a shooting last November began Friday with a tree planting and the placement of a plaque to honor the three, as well as another player and a female student who were wounded.
The victims were also honored before the Saturday game with James Madison.
The tragedy took the lives of Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry and caused the cancellation of Virginia’s final two games last year.
Instead, there were three funerals to attend, as well as vigils and a moving memorial service.
Authorities just this week upgraded the murder charges against the former teammate accused in the attack.
More than two hours before kickoff Saturday, cheering fans lined the path the team walks to get to the locker room.
Many later donned the orange “UVA STRONG” T-shirts given out to the first 35,000 fans to enter the stadium.
Fans were encouraged to be in their seats by 11:30 a.m. for a pregame ceremony, and they cheered loudly when the team emerged from the locker room.
The players went through their normal stretching and pregame routine before heading back inside.
They returned and stood on the back line of the end zone to watch a 5-minute video tribute narrated by Samuel L. Jackson that left many fans in tears.
Parachutists then dropped into the stadium, three carrying a banner bearing the jersey number of one of the players and the last one with a UVA STRONG banner.
Another video highlighting Virginia’s football tradition ended showing plaques honoring the three that now hang under the pergola at the open end of the stadium, then the families were introduced on the field.
