The death of the Dalai Lama's nephew Jigme Norbu is still felt across the world, two days after the activist was killed by an SUV on a coastal highway in Florida while walking to raise awareness of Tibet's suppression by China.
Larry Gerstein, Ball State director of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies is a close friend to the Dalai Lama's family. He said he couldn't go to the praying ceremony in Bloomington, where Norbu's family lives.
"I've been really close to the family, and that has brought amazing opportunities," Gerstein said. "It's a blessing that I've had these chances."
Gerstein said Tibet's issues with China were the reason Jigme had decided to walk around the country and the world.
"He did this only because they lost their country," he said. "He wouldn't have died being hit by a car if Tibet was a free country."
Gerstein started walking for Tibet's independence with the Dalai Lama's brother, Taktser Rinpoche, in 1995. Norbu only walked for a couple miles when Gerstein and Rinpoche had first started.
Norbu started his own organization, Ambassadors for World Peace.
Tamding Wangdak, a master's student at Ball State, said he met Norbu once, when he joined their organization and walked a couple miles. He said he could not digest the news when he heard about Norbu's death.
"It's a big loss for our community," he said. "He [was] not only promoting community and peace, but encouraging young people to speak for our country."
Wangdak said he thought figures like Norbu are mostly influential among younger generations.
"For the young generation of people settled in different countries, they need someone to inspire them in the U.S. Every young person knew about him, and it's a big loss because he was a big influence for the young generation," he said.
Norbu's and Gerstein's organizations were looking for volunteers to finish the walk. According to the "Walk for Tibet" blog run by Norbu's organization, they found a group of volunteers that starts their walk today.
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