Memories of Leslie

By Amrita Raja

We were walking into our dorm when I said, "So, we should go swimming sometime."

"Well, how about tomorrow?" Leslie asked.

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah! The pool's still open on Sundays!"

That's how Leslie Sherman, one of the 32 killed on April 16, 2007, and I wound up swimming together on weekends. In between laps, we'd talk about everything from classes to running to the article she'd read about that world-renowned musician in Washington, D.C., who played in the subways but wasn't noticed. I'd talk her into swimming one extra lap before we left; she'd encourage me to run that 5K I'd been thinking about.

We both entered Virginia Tech as founding members of the Main Campbell Honors Community. We spoke about learning new languages, and she mentioned wanting to take French classes. As a French major, I was excited to find someone with whom I could practice, and I told her to go for it. She lived on my floor, across the hall from the girls' restroom, and every time I went for a shower, she'd make sure to say, "Bonjour."

So many people ask about your day and don't listen to the answer. Leslie was not one of those people. On April 15, 2007, Leslie came to the annual International Fair. She came to the French Club booth and laughed, "I knew you were here!" She said she'd asked my roommate, Nina, where I was, and my roommate thought I might be at the design studio. Leslie assured Nina that I was working all day at the fair. I offered Leslie a crêpe. She said she'd try and come back for one before leaving. We ran out of crêpes at the fair.

I went with a group of Main Campbell-ers this semester to a group remembrance session for Leslie. I heard from her high school friends and her sister, her teammates and her coworkers, her professors and her boss. I want to thank those who shared their memories of Leslie that day. Even though I felt as though I didn't know her in an extraordinary way, our shared memories reflect the life of an extraordinary individual.

Each memory I have of Leslie, my dormmate, my classmate, my gym buddy and my friend is packed with her smiling enthusiasm for life.

By Amy L. Kovac |  April 16, 2008; 6:15 PM ET  | Category:  Amrita Raja
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