NBC29Jeweler Rallies Fluvanna to Honor Victims

Jeweler Rallies Fluvanna to Honor Victims

We give diamonds to the special people in our lives. Now, one Fluvanna County man is giving diamonds to remember the lives lost during the Virginia Tech shootings.

Charlie Kingrea's passion is jewelry. He builds custom pieces for a living. Kingrea was working in his shop on April 16.

"I had friends with kids at Virginia Tech and there was nothing we could do, absolutely nothing, except pray that everybody gets out," recalled Kingrea. 

Kingrea says for weeks a sense of helplessness ground away at him. He didn't know how a jeweler could comfort the grieving families.

Then, he got a call. Friends were building a custom bike for a scholarship fund. Kingrea offered to throw in a custom ring for the rider.

"It's basically the same thing but on a different scale...It's artwork," offered Kingrea. 

The ring is studded with 32 diamonds, one sparkling rock for each life lost during the tragedy.

Kingrea also turned to his neighbors for help. His friend Mike Weimer built a custom frame for the bike.

"I jumped on board right away when I found out what it was for," shared Weimer. 

Several Fluvanna businesses raised money to buy the engine. Kingrea helped put all the pieces together.

The bike and ring could raise a quarter of a million dollars when they're auctioned in October. Kingrea says it's just a small tribute: "There is no value you can put on life."

But this ring of diamonds can remind you of just how precious life is.

Reported by Joanna Shrewsbury
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