A letter to our student Viltė

News

2024-07-24

The accident

On July 9th we received devastating news, as our student Viltė Gruzdytė was severely injured during a shooting in New Jersey, USA.

Viltė is currently in the intensive care unit, undergoing speech and physical therapy. As her condition improves, she will require extensive rehabilitation to restore her damaged functions and an additional neurosurgery procedure.

In just one day, various people have shown their incredible support, raising over 60,000 EUR—more than halfway to the 100,000 EUR goal toward Viltė’s recovery. Seeing ISM alumni, students, faculty, administrative staff, and the entire country come together in this effort was beyond heartwarming.

Lidija’s letter to Viltė

However, Viltė is so much more than her accident—she’s a vibrant, loving person who has touched many lives. Her close friend Lidija Radzevičiūtė, the President of ISM University’s Students’ Association, has written a letter to Viltė, inviting us all to get to know her even more.

Our Dear Viltė, The night we learned about the tragedy was probably the worst night of our lives. The only thing we were waiting for was a message that you had woken up, that you were starting to recover, to recognize faces, and slowly yet steadily become the same Viltė we all knew—a funny, loving, and caring friend who was always up for hanging out, helping others, and enjoying life to the fullest. We all miss your voice, your laugh, your jokes about Kretingalė and the seaside, your invitations for coffee: „Agi, lekiam kavos?”, your tight hugs, your support, and your calming yet always cheerful presence. You can be sure that we all think about you day and night, and it breaks our hearts that such inexcusable cruelty has taken away the summer you dreamed of this year, your freedom, and your peace. We pray for you, Viltė. All of us 🇱🇹. You are a miracle, and you deserve all the best this world has to offer. Love you. Lidija.