Alison Parker’s parents first learned that their daughter had been involved in the WDBJ7 shooting Wednesday morning when they got a text message from the TV station, her father, Andy Parker, told The Washington Post. About an hour later, a senior manager at the station called to tell the Parkers that Alison had been killed.
“My grief is unbearable,” Andy told the Post. “Is this real? Am I going to wake up? I am crying my eyes out. I don’t know if there’s anybody in this world or another father who could be more proud of their daughter.”
I looked a little goofy this morning on @WDBJ7 since it was so chilly! Good thing I had my JMU sweatpants with me! pic.twitter.com/I0tnoVDJjM
— Alison Parker (@AParkerWDBJ7) April 22, 2015
In a statement released Wednesday, Andy further described the kind of daughter and woman Alison was.
“Barbara, Drew, and I are numb, devastated and I find my grief unbearable. Alison was our bright, shining light and it was cruelly extinguished by yet another crazy person with a gun. She excelled at everything she did and was loved by everyone she touched. She loved us dearly, and we talked to her every single day. Not hearing her voice again crushes my soul,” Andy wrote. “Our family can only take solace in the fact that although her life was brief, she was so happy with it. She lived it to the fullest and her spirit will always be with us.”
Congrats to all of the graduates at @virginia_tech and @VirginiaWestern! Throwback to my graduation! 😃 pic.twitter.com/drD0q0mSo7 — Alison Parker (@AParkerWDBJ7) May 15, 2015