Two Nelson County Synchronicty Members May Be Among Dead in Mumbai : Updated! Confirmed

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Afternoon Synchronicity Press Conference here. 11.28.08

Updated: 11.28.08
Confirmation of deaths and accompanying story here from our top story.

Updated 9:31pm.

The latest in the search for the missing, from iReport.com:

My sister Naomi Scherr and step father, Alan Scherr were last seen at the restaurant in the Oberoi when terrorists open fired on them. I do not know where either of them are or what their status is. If anyone knows of their whereabouts, please email at aaron_butler@mac.com

Updated 8:34 pm

Hoping for the best. Via AP.

Two members of the Faber, Va.-based Synchronicity Foundation who traveled to India to participate in a spiritual program are missing, said group spokeswoman Bobbie Garvey.

Alan Scherr, 58, and his daughter, Naomi Scherr, 13, both live and work at the foundation south of Charlottesville.

“Our Indian contacts there have gone to all the hospitals, but they haven’t located Alan or Naomi yet,” Garvey said. “We’re very hopeful they’ll be found safe.”

Updated 7:14pm

It seems like Wikipedia has posted a partial victims’ list here. It doesn’t seem to be up to date. Here is one hosted by Google Docs.

Updated 7:01pm

According to this report from the Lynchburg News & Advance, the following Nelson County Synchronicity members have been accounted for:

… Garvey said six other Nelson County residents were at the program, but were not injured: Patty and Phil Duncan of Nellysford, Lisa Barizilay of Nellysford, Amy Venezian of Afton, Ben Radtke and Charles Cannon …

Updated 5:40 PM EST

The following is excerpted from a report from a Canadian media outlet:

A U.S.-based spiritual meditation organization says Michael Rudder was one of two wounded Canadians who were part of a delegation on a trip to India.

Thomas Sechak of Synchronicity Foundation says the Montrealer, and Helen Connolly of Toronto, were shot last night when militants stormed one of the hotels in Mumbai.

Update 4:23 PM EST
MSNBC anchors continue to, in error, report on air that Synchronicity is a Canadian-based spiritual group; it is based in Nelson County, Virginia. Some members on the trip are from Canada but the organization is based in Central Virginia.

Updated 3:45 PM EST 11.27.08
The Synchronicity website in Nelson County, Virginia and NBC-29 in Charlottesville, VA are both now reporting what NCL has been posting all afternoon. Two Americans, both believed to be from Synchronicity, were shot in a restaurant in India’s terrorists attacks.

Though we, at NCL, cannot release where our independent information came from, we can say they derive from eyewitness accounts of what happened at the restaurant.

We’ll continue to update this post as more information becomes available.

Earlier Posts from today
Faber – Nelson County, Virginia
NCL can sadly report that it appears that two of the Synchronicity members in Mumbai may have died in the attacks. To protect the identities of their families at this difficult time, we are keeping the identities private thus until such time 100% confirmation is received. Though it is possible this information is incorrect, the account relayed to NCL appears to have authenticity thus far.

We are Nelsonians first, members of the media second.

Please keep them in your prayers on this day of Thanksgiving.

Previous coverage here and herehere.

Updated 12:55pm
Other media coverage here.

4 COMMENTS

  1. Mr Alan Scherr and daughter and confirmed expired in the attack . They were in the restaurant when the terrorists opened fire . Rest of group is safe and out of the Hotel .

  2. Dear Aaron ,
    I am very sad for your father and sister . I also knew him well . I last spoke to him at 9:40 in the evening . He was a wonderful soul and it is sad for him to die like this . May God give you and your mother strength at this time .

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