Mother of UCSB Isla Vista Shooting Victim Weihan 'David' Wang: 'Why Doesn't God Take Me Instead?'

By Eric Chen
Isla Vista Shooting
Isla Vista Shooting

Among the seven victims killed by Elliot Rodgers were three Chinese-American students. One of them is Weihan "David" Wang, who graduated from Fremont Christian School and whose mother attends church several times a week.   

"I wish I could go in exchange of my son's life," Wang's mother told the NBA Bay Area while her husband couldn't utter a word as he broke down crying. On Monday. they will head out from the San Francisco Bay Area down to Santa Barbara to meet with the parents of other victims. "I'm just heartbroken. You just can't imagine for a mom."

Wang, 20, of Fremont, and Cheng Yuan Hong, 20, of San Jose, were both stabbed to death during sleep by Rodgers on Friday at the apartment they had shared with him in Isla Vista. The victims had planned to stop sharing with the killer because they found him 'strange,' according to NBC Bay Area.

Rodger then went on a killing spree, fatally stabbing George Chen, 19, of San Jose, and shooting two sorority sisters and a 20-year-old man at a deli, and injured 13 others, before killing himself, according to authorities.

Rodger, the son of Hollywood director Peter Rodger, wrote a 137-page manifesto and posted a video on Youtube about his hate towards beautiful women for their lack of interest in him, who thought of himself of a higher breed 'alpha male' than other male 'obnoxious brutes' whom he also despised. He also unveiled of his massacre plan, including killing his roommates at the start of his rampage.

Wang's bereft parents, Jinshuang "Jane" Liu and Charlie Wang said that their son was supposed to have come home on June 12th for the summer month, and head out on a family trip to Yellowstone National Park, and celebrate his 21st birthday. 

Ten years ago, the Wang family immigrated from Tianjing, China, to United States.

Family and friends were mourning the loss of Wang, who was majoring in Computer Science at UC Santa Barbara.

A family friend of Wang, Judy Ren, told NBC Bay Area that she is afraid of sending her own 16-year-old child to college.

"You don't know where it is safe," she said. "You really think the college, the university should be a safe place--but they're not."

Isla Vista Shooting
Isla Vista Shooting

Wang's mother said her son was very close with the other two young men stabbed in the apartment: George Chen and Cheng Yuan Hong.

Liu described her son as "a very, very nice boy," who aced his SATs but never bragged about it. "He was always the joy of the family."  

"I'm a strong mom, I'm a nurse, I'm nice to my patients," she said. "I go to my church a few times a week. I ask God, 'Why doesn't he take me instead of my son?' I don't understand why this happened to me."

Isla Vista Shooting
Isla Vista Shooting
  • ‘Wang Mingdao’s Diary’ reproduction highlights complexities of contemporary Chinese Christianity

    On December 9, the China Graduate School of Theology (中国神学研究院) hosted a public lecture titled “A Courageous Witness in the Times—Launch of Wang Mingdao (王明道)’s Diary.” The lecture, themed “Faith Patterns in Beijing’s Christian Churches Through the Lens of Wang Mingdao’s Diary,” featured Dr. Ni Buxiao (倪步晓), Associate Director and Assistant Professor at the Christian Faith and Chinese Culture Research Center of Alliance Bible Seminary (建道神学院), as the keynote speaker.

  • Floating library ‘Doulos Hope’ arrives in Taiwan; spreading love and hope from a former cruise ship

    Doulos Hope, the international floating book fair ship, has returned to Taiwan and is now docked at Kaohsiung Port, open to the public from December 18, 2024, to January 12, 2025. Originally built in 1991 and renovated in 2022, the ship features over 2,000 books on various topics, including faith, science, and art. It is operated by a diverse crew of 140 volunteers from 25 countries, offering services such as education, healthcare, and community outreach. The ship's mission is to spread hope and

  • Chinese Online School of Theology publishes annual ministry report: Expanding Chinese theological education through new strategies

    In the 2023-2024 academic year, New York-based Chinese Online School of Theology (COST) has seen significant development in expanding its ministry in theological education and mission outreach. They have promoted a series of new events and projects to explore different strategies that expand theological education for Chinese ministers. The following are some highlights from the 2023-2024 annual report:

  • Dr. Fenggang Yang: How foreign forces transformed traditional Chinese legal systems

    In a recent lecture to Chinese Christians, scholar Dr. Fenggang Yang (杨凤岗) gave an in-depth analysis of the historical evolution and contemporary significance of the modern legal system in Chinese society. He explored the tensions and integrations between traditional law and modern rule of law, highlighting the distinctive characteristics of China’s traditional legal system and emphasizing the role of foreign influences in introducing modern legal practices into Chinese society.