LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Two years ago, UNLV faced the loss of three professors in a tragic shooting on campus.
Today, their lives were honored with a remembrance event — and plans for a permanent memorial.
WATCH | Inside UNLV's Gathering for Remembrance and Healing event
On Saturday morning, the UNLV community hosted "The Gathering for Remembrance and Healing" event at the Donald C. Moyer Amphitheater outside of the Student Union.
Speakers included UNLV Interim President Chris Heavey, students and faculty, as well as musical performances from UNLV's College of Fine Arts members.
UNLV also had assistance from their Counseling and Psychological Services department available to anyone in need at the event.
More than 200 people came to campus for the touching tributes and stories of Rebel resilience, including UNLV alum Mack Gledhill, who was inside the Student Union two years ago.
"It fundamentally changed the trajectory of my life, I'll never forget that day," Gledhill said. "During the hard lockdown we got a text from University Police saying that shots were fired into the Student Union, so there were 15 minutes where I thought I was going to die at 23."
Two years later, the emotions are still raw, but the campus is moving forward together.
"It was the most terrifying experience of my life," Gledhill said.
"It's a day where there's lots of tears, but also a sense of community and being with people we care about, and reflecting about the important work we do together," Interim President Heavey said.
Professors Patricia Navarro Velez, Jerry Cha-Jan Chang, and Naoko Takemaru will be remembered through a Healing Garden and December 6 memorial, which UNLV says 'will be constructed in the heart of the campus as a permanent site for reflection."
The estimated $2.5 million memorial will also honor Professor Bot Rith, who was shot 10 times on December 6, 2023 — he survived his injuries and has since returned to campus, being honored on Saturday morning by his UNLV community.
The renderings for these memorials were revealed during the morning's gathering.
"I think it's beautiful," Heavey said. "It's a place of both reflection where people can go and remember the lives we lost, but also have a quiet moment to sit and think about their lives and the journey we're all on together."
Former students like Mack Gledhill say a permanent memorial is an important step to healing the deep scars left behind from this tragedy two years ago.
"There's going to come a day when the cameras don't show, there's going to be a day when the numbers dwindle and less and less people are showing up to this memorial," Gledhill said. "We can make sure that this never gets forgotten, never let it get overshadowed — life has to keep on going, but we can't forget."
Channel 13 asked UNLV officials when they hope to break ground on the permanent memorial — they said they don't have a timeline just yet, because they're working on fundraising for it at this point.
For more information on the memorial, recovery programs, and additional events, please visit UNLV Strong.
