On June 21, Don and Leigh Ann Zirkle were attacked in their home by an armed intruder. Don did not survive his severe injuries. Leigh Ann remains in hospital; after multiple surgeries, she is slowly recovering from the physical trauma.
This horrific attack was a shock to all of us, and we have come together in many ways to offer our help and support — from neighbors who provided life-saving medical care to Leigh Ann until the ambulance arrived, to those who cut the grass or wrote cards of encouragement.
What can we do? Funeral plans for Don are on hold until Leigh Ann is strong enough to participate in the planning. In the meantime, we surround her with our prayers, but we also struggle with having our own sense of safety shaken and feeling helpless in the face of such violence.
The congregations of Westminster Presbyterian Church and Vine Street Christian Church invite our neighbors to a prayer service on Sunday, July 7, at 7 p.m., at Vine Street Christian Church (4101 Harding Pike). We want to come together to show our support, to pray, to share our grief and our hope, to strengthen the bonds of neighborliness and friendship, and to talk about how we can continue to build a community of support for Leigh Ann and her and Don’s families. Please join us.