We were truly honored when the
Department of Industrial Engineering at NCSU
voted unanimously for recommendation that Loria
be awarded her college degree posthumously.

With approval from the university, her diploma
was presented to us on December 19, 2001
in her honor during the Fall 2001 graduation ceremony.

She was not there to personally receive something
that she had worked so hard to achieve, nor would we
see her "make that walk across the stage".

It was such a memorable and heart-warming
experience and we will never forget
the kind words spoken to us about Loria that day
as we were called up to accept her diploma.

However ... that doesn't change the fact that
Loria should have been there to accept her diploma.
She had earned that right; yet her big moment
of achievement was to come three months after
her death.  Another precious moment stolen ...

Loria could have been anything she wanted to be.
If given the chance to live, Loria's potential was
unlimited.  Instead, she will be forever
22 years old ... and there will be no future
achievements for us to celebrate.