It's been TEN YEARS. TEN YEARS. I was so looking forward to Bonfire '99! Tom and I met BONFIRE NIGHT in 1998! We were about to celebrate one of the most widely known, and favorite Aggie traditions on the first anniversary of when we had met. The morning started much earlier than planned as I was woken up by the phone...parents who had heard before me that the beloved Fightin' Texas Aggie Bonfire had fallen. My first reaction was one of "it's fallen before...we'll just re-build it!" It was going to be tight on time, but I knew we could do it. It was only a matter of minutes that I learned this was nothing we could "rebuild". Lives had been lost. Many were missing or trapped in the stack. Rescue workers were relentlessly working to save as many people as possible. Since I did not live on campus at the time (this was my Junior Year at A&M), I couldn't break away from the TV coverage to head to the bonfire site. I don't believe I've ever been as glued to the television as I was that day. Looking back, it's still a bit surreal. We lost 12 members of the Aggie Family in that fall. A bit ironic since another widely known symbol of Texas A&M is it's 12th man.
Today I couldn't help but think about these 12 young (very young) men and women who lost their life that day. They were all very close in age to me. I think of myself...married, a successful job, and two precious kids. I wonder where they would be today. If they would have families of their own. Then I realize that they are in a lot of places today. They are in the minds and hearts of thousands of Aggies. And they will live there forever.
To you 12 Aggies who died doing something you loved, you will forever be remembered. My biggest hope today is that the current and future Aggies know and understand just how deeply you loved the Bonfire tradition and Texas A&M University. You are my Aggie Brothers and Sisters, and you are missed.
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