Officials of the Synchronicity Foundation provided details today on the deaths of two Nelson County residents killed in the terrorist attacks in India.

Alan Scherr, 58, and his daughter, Naomi Scherr, 13, were with a group from the organization at the Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai when it was attacked.

Bobbie Garvey, the group's vice president, met with reporters this morning at one of the foundation's facilities, which include a monastery and fellowship hall in Nelson County. The organization has been based on Adial Road, between Virginia 6 and Virginia 151 in Nelson County, since 1985. The U.S. flag was at half-staff at the facility today.

Garvey said she told Scherr's wife, Kia, at 5 a.m., that her husband and daughter were dead.

"It's better than coming from the State Department," she said. "I'm sure on some level, she knew, as we all did." Kia Scherr remained with family members in Florida.

"He was an extremely valued member of Sychronicity," Garvey said of Scherr, formerly a professor at the University of Maryland, who was a spokesman for the group and edited its books.
"Alan was probably one of the most beloved persons here. He will be greatly missed," Garvey said.

Scherr came to the organization when his daughter was just two months old. She was home-schooled, finished the eighth grade a year early, scored 92 percent on her SSAT and had planned to apply to the Emma Williard Academy in Troy, N.Y., to attend high school.

"She was a shining star, absolutely brilliant," and sociable, Garvey said.

In India, Naomi had been working on an essay to accompany her application to the boarding school, had gotten her nose pierced, obtained shawls and Indian garb, scheduled some massages and was enjoying her pilgrimage, Garvey said.

The victims were among a group of 16 Americans, four Canadians and five Australians in Mumbai on a spiritual pilgrimage to India that began Nov. 14. They were due back Monday.

Other Synchronicity members in Faber found out what was happening while surfing the Internet "and saw Mumbai was being bombed and then saw the Oberoi was being bombed," Garvey said.
"They were in the middle of it."

Another member who was hospitalized reported Scherr had been shot in the head. Members did not know what had happened to Naomi, although she was found near her father, Garvey said.
Garvey immediately called Sychronicity's contacts in Mumbai.

Synchronicity's spiritual leader, Master Charles Cannon, had finished a program about 10 p.m. and the group returned to the hotel. Several were hungry and stopped for a snack in the Oberoi's café.
Besides Scherr and his daughter, four others were in the café when gunmen entered "and just started shooting," Garvey said.

One was shot three times, underwent surgery and still has a bullet lodged in the abdomen. Two others, both women, are from Tennessee. One was wounded in the arm and leg and underwent surgery, Garvey said. The other was shot in the back "and is ready to go back to Tennessee," she said.

The fourth survivor was grazed and treated and released.

Synchronicity officials had feared that Scherr and his daughter may not have survived.

"He didn't turn up in a hospital," Garvey said. "Our assumption was, yes, they were still in the café."

The rest of the members were told to stay in their rooms, where they remained for 45 hours, at one point breaking windows to let in fresh air and let out smoke, hiding behind mattresses and bureaus, with no food. "It was that intense," she said.

The remaining members were released from the hotel about 5 a.m. today, and one identified Scherr and his daughter.

Not all are ready to return to their home countries so soon after their ordeal, Garvey said.

"It's like, how could this happen to us, these wonderful people who were on a pilgrimage, and not come back," she said.

Their spiritual faith holds that nothing in life is an accident. Life "is all one energy, with many diversities in the energy," Garvey said.