Hundreds of Morgan Harrington's friends, family and supporters met Thursday night at Northside High School's Viking Stadium to pray for the missing Virginia Tech student's safe return.

Harrington's mother, Gil Harrington, explained to the crowd that her daughter used a message special to their family when she said goodbye to them. She'd used it Saturday afternoon before Morgan, who had been a student at Northside during her high school years, disappeared during a Metallica concert in Charlottesville.

The message -- "I love you too much ... forever ... and once more" -- was symbolized on purple T-shirts that close friends and family members wore to Thursday night's vigil.

Gil Harrington explained. Two dots mean: "I love you too much." Four dots mean: "Forever." One dot means: "And once more."

During an unfathomable moment in their lives, Gil Harrington said, she and her family have been blessed with love from her daughter's nine best friends.

"I mean it from the bottom of my heart," Harrington said to the nine as they sat before the crowd of at least 250 that had gathered. "I love you too much, forever and once more."

By Jorge Valencia | The Roanoke Times

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