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In a special edition of WIZS Town Talk aired live on Thursday at 11 a.m., community leaders expressed support and sympathy for Vance-Granville Community College President Rachel Desmarais. Desmarais’ oldest son Ian J. Simmons passed away as the result of a car accident on Tuesday.
In a joint statement released by VGCC Vice President Dr. Levy Brown and Board of Trustees Chair Danny Wright, Desmarais is fondly referred to as “an outstanding leader, educator, community member, spouse, and mother who embodies both the mission and vision of Vance-Granville Community College.”
The statement continues, “The Board of Trustees, faculty, and staff are fully committed to ensuring that our students continue to receive an excellent education while our president takes the necessary time needed with her family. As her college family, we will get through this difficult time together while showing love and support for our president and her loved ones.”
Click here to read the full statement.
Community leaders called-in to Town Talk to express their condolences and to reflect on Dr. Desmarais, her role in the community and her family.
Dr. Jerry Edmonds – vice president of Workforce Development and Community Engagement at VGCC
“We, as a community college, are so saddened and devastated to learn of the passing of Ian. We appreciate all the outpouring of support. As a small community, this is really a testament to Dr. Desmarais and the fact that she is really engaged in our community.”
Edmonds said Ian was a student in VGCC’s Bioprocess Technology program, and that his younger brother Conall is a student at Vance County Early College High School, housed on VGCC’s campus.
“We have students on campus that are hurting because they sat side-by-side with Ian in classrooms and labs. We also have faculty and staff that taught Ian that are mourning over the loss of a student. We’ll get through it as a community and as a family.”
Eddie Ellington – mayor of Henderson
“I consider Dr. Desmarais a friend, a colleague and a community partner. Losing a child is the most tragic thing that can happen to any parent. Myself and the City of Henderson express our deepest sympathy to her family.
Dr. Desmarais, if you are listening, or if you listen to this later, please know you’re in our hearts, and we are here for you.”
Michele Burgess – president of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce
“On behalf of the Henderson-Vance Board of Directors and staff, I wanted to say how sorry we all are. We are all in shock; it’s just tragic news. We offer her our sympathy.”
On a personal note, Burgess said Desmarais, who is a member of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, often spoke about her sons, a bond the two women share.
“She, in conversation, even from the very first day we met, loved to talk about her family and her children. It was a close-knit family, and she often shared fun things about her boys. I have a son also, so we connected on that level as well. I just wanted to say how sorry I am about it.”
Gordon Wilder – chair of the Vance County Board of Commissioners
“On behalf of all the commissioners, I want to express our sadness and our shock at the passing of Dr. Desmarais’ son. We want to give the family our condolences and whatever support we can offer at this time.”
Nancy Wykle – publisher of The Daily Dispatch
“Dr. Desmarais has so quickly become such a fundamental part of our community fabric and has such a vision for where we can go. I think we, as her community family, grieve with her, and we want to wrap our arms around her and her family as they struggle through what no parent ever wants to imagine.
We want her to know that we are here in whatever way she needs us, and we are sending love, sympathy and prayers to her and her family.”
John Charles Rose – WIZS
“We just want Dr. Desmarais and her family to know how special they are here in this community. There are a lot of important partners here in this area. Dr. Desmarais and VGCC, in a lot of ways, are an umbrella that encases all of us because it is an institution of higher education that gives people opportunities to succeed in all areas. A lot of that would be true with any president of a community college, almost generically. Guess what? The word of the day for Dr. Desmarais is not ‘generic.’ The word of the day – in addition to ‘love’ and ‘support’ is ‘organic.’
Dr. Desmarais, the people that called [WIZS Town Talk] today care about you beyond your profession. Thank you for being here. On behalf of an entire community, we hurt for you today; we pray for you today; our love for you grows deeper today; we remember you today; we pray for your son and family today.”
To hear the interview in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.