CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — While students on UNC-Chapel Hill's campus were on lockdown, many of their parents felt helpless because they weren't able to get to them.
Many texted and called, but it wasn't the same as getting to see that they were okay in person.
Sherry Williams started praying the second she got the alert and waited to hear from her son Jagur who is a current UNC student.
"I have prayed continuously. Since I got the first text on Monday afternoon. And I started with a family group text. You know everybody was praying and then it grew into parents from our community from the Archdale, Trinity Wheatmore area. We have two high schools, so a group text [messages] started between all the parents that we knew that had children in Chapel Hill," Williams said.
The Williams family, a dedicated group of Tar Heel fans, stayed connected through those texts.
After the all-clear was given, their thoughts turned to the terrifying experience.
"He is typically calm and doesn't get upset, but this really took him to a different type of situation. He has never been in this type of situation, and he keeps replaying it to us," Williams shared.
Manzi Venter, another UNC student, was on campus Tuesday just trying to get her mind off things, even with classes canceled.
"For me, the best thing I can do is be distracted and do things to occupy my mind like my hands. So, that I'm not just sitting in my room surrounded by like the thoughts of what could've happened or what happened," Venter said.
Those emotions were not just felt in Chapel Hill.
Jennifer Whitney is a counselor at UNCG. She said the shooting is hitting home for UNCG students too.
"It's in Chapel Hill where maybe they live, where their families are from. We have students whose families work in these communities as well. So, it's no longer something distant that they can try to compartmentalize, but it's actually something that is affecting their community, their world, their reality and that just increases the anxiety," Whitney explained.
Whitney says they have seen an increase in students wanting to talk and encourages everyone to keep an eye out for one another.
"If you're having trouble eating or if you're just eating your feelings, or if you are, maybe having difficulty sleeping or finding that you want to sleep all the time right those kinds of big disruptions or changes in your routine can really indicate and let you know maybe it's time to seek help," Whitney said.
Whitney said they have offered to help counsel UNC-Chapel Hill students. They are just waiting to see what the demand is and if they will be needed.