I moved to Bryan-College Station in August of 1989. My mom started working at Texas A&M shortly there after and she, along with the rest of the family got caught up in everything A&M. Not a bad thing at all since that is what the whole community essentially consists of for the most part. My parents took my brother and me to our first Bonfire that November. It was an interesting array of experiences—friendly students, ol’ Ags, drunk students, and anything and everything in between. That was the first and last time Bonfire actually stood for any real length of time (or at least any Bonfire that I attended). We did not go every year, by any stretch of the imagination, but we went enough. I even took my high school boyfriend to his very first Bonfire. Then a year later as a freshman, was one of the only ones to have seen Bonfire before. My sophomore year, I almost did not attend but at the last minute decided to go and of course if fell shortly after it was lit. A few weeks before, my ALOT partner, Seth and I took our group out to see them building it and even took pictures standing right next to it, pretending to hold it up. Who would have known it would be the last Bonfire I would see? As for my participation in Bonfire, it was like this: I attended and I sold Bonfire tee shirts for Class Council, but that was it. I had some friends who participated and loved the experience, but it was not my cup of tea.
For the generation of Aggies that attended TAMU at the time of the Bonfire collapse it was something you just do not forget. Where were you? How did you hear about it? I still so vividly remember what happened. It was the middle of the night and all my roommates (Beth and Danielle) and I heard were sirens going by on the way to the hospital…and lot of them. Shortly there after, our phone started ringing off the hook. It was the Battalion calling Beth to come in and start covering the Bonfire collapse and she was told at that time that people had died. She was out the door in less than 5 minutes…and then there was no sleep as we heard sirens go by all night long on there way to St. Joseph. Then to walk on campus before 8 am….it was just quite, people wondering what had happened, where were people, did you know anyone out there? I remember going to work and parents calling our phone lines asking if we had any information…and then I remember certain student’s screens were blocked…never a good sign. And then there was a campus prayer at the MSC by Rudder Fountain. I don’t know if I have ever seen that many people ever pray together before or since, but it was quite moving to be there, to feel it, and to learn from it.
In the hours and days that followed we found out more information as to who was involved. It was scary as to how many people it affected. Most people can honestly say that that did not know anyone who was lost that night. I wish I was one of those people, but I am not. A family friend lost her sister that night. Jamie was a girl I had met a few times over the years, had gone swimming together as a young teenager, and a truly beautiful person inside and outside. The loss her family felt is beyond words and how they have managed to have a life afterwards, I do not know. They have an amazing strength in faith and family that has pulled them through. I do not know if I would be able to do what they have done. Jamie was not the only one though…there were 11 others. I just remember thinking, why? And I still do…
The proud Aggie that I am saw how much Bonfire brought to the university, what it meant to the students, and the ever present tradition that it held. However, this proud Aggie draws the line at the stupidity that went along with it too. This was not the first time Bonfire had fallen, not the first time someone had been hurt at cut or stack, and easily, not the first time it was not as supervised as it should have been. There are many Aggies out there who feel like we need to bring it back….and some even use the reasoning that the 12 people who lost their lives would want it that way. I scoff at that statement. I find it very difficult to believe that either one of those people would have traded their lives for a pile of burning wood. At the end of the day, that is exactly what it is—a burning pile of wood. Sean and I have agreed to disagree with Bonfire coming back. He thinks that it should come back to campus, but under strict supervision and still student led. Neither of us believe it will ever be student led again as the university will never take on that liability…and I can’t say that I blame them. I have no desire to ever see it come back and will never support it coming back to campus or any rogue Bonfire that is built on private land. Yes, Bonfire had some fun to it, but for me, I will always remember what happened on November 18, 1999. There was no fun in that for anyone.
Sean’s Take
I am sorry if this is a little repetitive but I would like to give you my take and my perspective on Bonfire. Like Kristin said I can’t believe that it has been 10 years since Bonfire fell. It is very nostalgic reading all the articles whether in the Batt, Texas Monthly, or the Dallas Morning News. I think back and remember how that night Texas A&M was never the same again.
From my freshman year I have always been a part of Bonfire, from cut, to Centerpole, to unload and to stack. One of the most fun memories I have is father/son cut. As a fish in the Corps, we were forced into participating and even though it sucked at times, we earned our corps brass the night before it burned. They best part about watching Bonfire burn in ‘96 was that we had a fish flag that was the size of a king bed sheet. I remember watching all the news broadcasts and you can see our flag in every shot.
For the next 2 years, I still participated in cut, unload, and stack. It wasn’t till my senior year that I wanted to do it one last time. I remember the week before we switched with a squadron outfit for stack. We will take their spot on Nov 16th and they will take our spot on Nov 17th. So on November 16th, I spent 2 hours up on the 2nd level of stack putting in logs. Most people were getting excited about the Texas game and Thanksgiving, but for me I was getting excited about getting my Aggie Ring. Nov 18th was my Ring Day and several of my buddies went to bed on the 17th looking forward to get our rings the next morning. A little after 3 we were awaken by someone looking for a dorm check. Luckily we in H-1 were all accounted for but I remember the fear going on above us in C-2. Soon we found out that Nathan West was one that could not be accounted for and was last seen at stack. I remember the wave of people flowing out of the Corps and non reg dorms heading to stack but by 4:30 we were back b/c there was nothing that could be done. That morning there was an eerie feeling around campus. The quad was silent and all you heard were the many helicopters flying over the polo fields. My buddies and got into non reg clothes and headed to go our rings. There was no excitement, no laughter, no smiles. It was a single file line to get our rings and back to the quad. That afternoon we all headed back out to stack and as we were moving logs, the entire football team blew off practice to come help. Everyone stopped and was at awe and realized what they gave up to come help. I remember the entire coaching staff following behind them to support their decision. That afternoon was the last day that I wore my grodes and my pot. I have not washed them to this day. When I come across them, it still smells like cut and stack. A distinct smell, one that I will never forget. That night after the memorial I remember sitting on my couch and crashing. I don’t think I even had my boots off before I fell asleep. I think we all got 2 hours of sleep before we were up again and heading to the polo fields to mark 24 hours after stack fell.
Like I said, I believe that after November 18, 1999 Texas A&M University was never the same. To me it feels like there has always been something missing from campus. There is no unity between North side and South side, Corps and non regs and so on. Do I support the off-campus bonfire? NO. Would I like to see Bonfire return to campus? Yes, but only if it is student run. I know that will never happen and so I do not expect to see a Bonfire return to campus.
I remember that morning/day like it was yesterday. To me, looking at my Aggie ring is a reminder of November 18th. 
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3 comments:
WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER!
Nicely written.
Thank you my two Aggies!
Beautifully written and very well said. This half-Aggie/half-Lumberjack heart will always remember that day.
I will never forget: I was walking down the street in Philadelphia, heading back to my apartment from the ballet studios, when I passed a newspaper box full of the Philadelphia Inquirer and the front page picture made me stop dead in my tracks. I stared with my mouth open for several seconds. Then I ran the rest of the way to my apartment, scrounged up some change, ran back out to the nearest paper box I could find, and bought a copy. I took it back up to my apartment, sat on my twin bed, read every word, and just cried. I remember thinking how strange it was that something 1500 miles away was causing me such grief.
Thank you both for sharing your thoughts today.
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