A Thousand Words
By Jock Lauterer
Deep in a leafy glade, just beyond the sweet-breath-of-spring bush in UNC’s Coker Arboretum, there lies a heart-shaped stone bearing a heartfelt memorial to Eve Carson. This week marks the fourth anniversary of the murder of UNC’s beloved student body president, cut down before her time by two teens from Durham. Though I never met Eve, I am forever changed because of her. Her death and how it happened demanded a response. Along with colleagues from N.C. Central University, and with encouragement and inspiration from folks at the UNC Center for Public Service, two years ago we launched the Northeast Central Durham Community VOICE (durhamvoice.org), a community newspaper that aims to get teens off the streets and into a creative, nurturing and mentoring newsroom – a place where a kid can get a sense of accomplishment and positive life vision while picking up valuable professional skills. Last week, while wandering through “the Arb,†I made a point of stopping by Eve’s memorial, as I often do, but this time I was surprised and then moved to see how someone had carefully arranged fresh Camilla blossoms on her marker.
A THOUSAND WORDS
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I just want to say thank you for not letting Eve Carson’s spirit slip away. I too never met Eve while she walked this earth. I have however been touched by her spirit. Her spirit is both blessed, real and very powerful. I heard once that if you call out someones name they become an angel. True or not, I call out her name daily, and tell her that she is my friend, angel and hero. God bless Eve, her family and all those who will never let her memory or spirit fade away.