RICHMOND, Va. — The community is remembering Dr. Cerina W. Fairfax, a 2005 VCU School of Dentistry alumna, who was killed in a murder-suicide overnight Thursday.
Before beginning at VCU, Dr. Fairfax earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Duke University in 1999, according to her practice's website. She went on to graduate magna cum laude from the VCU School of Dentistry in 2005.
After continuing her training with VCU through their Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program, Dr. Fairfax practiced dentistry for two decades in Northern Virginia, opening her own practice, Dr. Fairfax & Associates Family Dentistry.
CBS 6 spoke with Terron Sims, a friend and longtime patient of Dr. Fairfax.
"Cerina really loved what she did, like she took pride in her work," Sims said. "Her profession was an extension of her love and care for people."
In 2015, the VCU School of Dentistry awarded her the Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Graduate of the Last Decade.
"Her loss is deeply felt by many who knew her. As a clinician and alumna, Dr. Fairfax embodied the ideals of our profession—dedication to her patients, commitment to growth, and a deep sense of purpose in her work each day. I know she was a mentor, role model, and friend to many in our school," interim dean Dr. Jeffrey Johnson wrote. "At times like this, we are reminded of our community's strength and the enduring bonds that connect us across time and place. On behalf of our school, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Dr. Fairfax’s family, friends, colleagues, and all who were fortunate to know her. Please keep her children and loved ones in your thoughts during the days ahead.'"
She was a member of the Virginia Dental Association, who remembered her as a "beloved practitioner."
"Dr. Fairfax loved giving back through volunteer work and contributions to local charities focused on helping those in need," said Ryan Dunn, CEO of the Virginia Dental Association. "As we remember Dr. Fairfax, we honor the impact she made and the connections she helped build within the VDA and her community."
In addition to her career accolades, Dr. Fairfax was a mother of two teenage children. Rep. Jennifer McClellan, who knew Dr. Fairfax through her husband's campaign for lieutenant governor and his tenure in office, mentioned the children in a statement as "the people she cherished most."
“Cerina Fairfax was a loving and dedicated mother and the rock at the center of her large family. Cerina dedicated herself to her community and was an accomplished figure in her own right as a distinguished alumni of the VCU School of Dentistry, having been honored in 2015 as VCU’s Outstanding DDS Graduate of the Last Decade, small business owner and pediatric dentist. My heart breaks at this tragic news, and I’m keeping her children and family, the people Cerina cherished most, in my prayers.”
"Definitely a tragic loss like this, that now her mom and her kids and their family, especially the close family, are having to deal with," Sims said.
Sims shared that Dr. Fairfax was starting to plan college trips for both of her children. Loved ones share that their focus now is honoring the life she lived and the people she cared for.
"To me, it's about ensuring that these kids and her mom know that, not only that they're loved, but we never forgot about them," Sims said.
If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.
