Barnette

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Miss Virginia USA visited Washington-Lee Elementary

Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 01:40 AM

BY ROBERT KLEMKO
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER


BRISTOL, Va. ? Third-grader Hannah Dinery kneeled in her chair and stretched across a table with her doe eyes locked on the woman her classmates described as a supermodel.

Lauren Barnette is Miss Virginia USA 2007, but she is more than your average beauty queen. Barnette has witnessed more tragedy in the past two months than in any of her 22 years.

Barnette spoke to 41 third-graders on Wednesday at Washington-Lee Elementary School, appearing at the request of third-grade teacher Holly Rolen, a family friend who is familiar with the pain Barnette and her family have experienced over the past several weeks.

A senior at Virginia Tech, Barnette was in Blacksburg when a troubled student gunned down 32 fellow students and faculty members, then turned the gun on himself. Later that week, Barnette's brother, Jordan, was nearly killed in a car crash when the Jeep Liberty he was driving careened off a cliff and into a ravine April 22 in Pound.

"It was like one thing after another with my school that I loved dearly, and my brother that I love even more," Barnette said.

Jordan, who is one year older than his sister, suffered a significant brain stem injury, deep brain contusions, broken wrists and heavy internal bruising among a myriad of other injuries. Doctors gave the Culpeper native little chance to live.

On Friday, Jordan Barnette will be transferred to Sheperd Medical Center in Atlanta from Bristol Regional Medical Center where Lauren Barnette and her mother Joni have spent the past five weeks at his side.

"He is a warrior," Joni Barnette said of her son. "Doctors gave him little hope to live ... but he has made an amazing recovery through the grace of God."

Lauren Barnette carried the burden of her brother's situation as children from the class shot excited questions her way.

A student asked the Wise native who is her favorite hero.

Lauren Barnette strayed from her playful tone as she described her brother's courage and strength in adversity before quickly realizing the boy meant favorite super-hero.

Rolen pressed her to continue.

"I know that the experience has been a maturation process for her and a healing experience for her family," Rolen said. "When this is over, she'll have a greater story to tell other than being Miss Virginia."

As students passed around Miss Virginia's crown, Hannah, a Miss Pre-teen Virginia candidate, got a taste of the pageantry.

While the girls marvelled, third-grader Reid Anderson asked Lauren Barnette about the Virginia Tech shootings. She had withdrawn from the spring semester to participate in the Miss USA pageant and was at her Blacksburg apartment during Cho Sueng Hui's rampage.

"It was awful," she said. "My heart just broke because I've never felt unsafe or scared at school, and it's important for everyone to remember that it's still a great place to be."

Lauren Barnette said her brother has been able to read and remembers her birthday and has shown a level of recovery that doctors, paramedics and police had deemed all but impossible. She describes her brother as the "?boy version' of her and as her greatest hero.

"It was the absolute worst day my life but it's funny how God works," she said. "The whole experience has brought my family together again."

As Lauren Barnette walked towards the classroom Wednesday, Hannah and the rest of her classmates chattered with excitement that rang through the hallways when told of her arrival. Their screams were met with disapproval by their teachers, who said it was a rude way to greet someone.

Third-grader Mary Hannah Clear brashly retorted, "Well, when a supermodel is about to walk through the door, what do you expect?"

But Lauren Barnette avoids such an image.

"At the end of the day, Miss Virginia is my title, but Lauren Barnette is who I am," she said.

It is about time someone posted some good news. Thanks a bunch. I taught all three of the Barnett's and they were all good kids. Of course, Lauren was the prettiest.

She describes her brother as the "?boy version' of her and as her greatest hero. When someone asked me what did Jrdan look like which brother was he?I said,"Lauren with out hair." Great news I'm so glad he is improving each day.God can work wonders and Jordan is proof.

I talked to Jordan's brother Gabe today and Jordan is progressing nicely. He is up and walking. Gabe said he was getting ready to go to a rehab center in Atlanta I think.

I spoke to Jordon's step-mother a few weeks ago. She said throughout this whole ordeal with Jordon, that there has been several of Jordon's friends get saved and how the family as a whole has come closer to the Lord. I hate what happened to Jordon, but God has got Glory from it. That is the best news anyone can ever hear.