As Aggies, this day is a special day that greets us every year with mourning, remembrance, and thankgiving for the family we have at Texas A&M. At 2:42am, 11 years ago, Aggie Bonfire collapsed and took the lives of 12 Aggies with it. We now have a Bonfire Memorial in its place adorning the names, pictures and lives of these 12 fallen Aggies. You can pay the Memorial a visit any time or day of the year, but at 2:42am on the 18th of November, you will always find a mass of Aggies huddled inside and around it. The families and friends of the 12 come back to Aggieland each year and are seated right where the center pole was when the Bonfire still took place. They lead us in the Aggie War Hymn, we all sing Amazing Grace together, and at times we just stand in silence and pray. A roll call for the 12 takes place and we take time to let the families and each other know that "We Remember".
To be at the Bonfire Remembrance as a Senior this year was incredible. With random people around me who I've never met all reciting "We Remember" and singing Amazing Grace, I just have to stop and thank the Lord that he put me here. Texas A&M has become one of my passions in life and I don't know how I'm going to leave this place. The character of this school combined with the strong bonds each one of us has to each other is unlike anything I've ever seen. There's just something so special that, yes, I have to say it, "From the outside you can't understand it. From the inside you can't explain it." Tonight was a perfect example of that.
After the ceremony was done, the families proceeded to leave the Memorial. I will never forget seeing the mom of one of the 12 fallen Aggies, Miranda Adams, walking away saying, "Thank you for coming. You don't understand how much this means to us" to every single person she passed.
The Aggie Bonfire Memorial is such an important part of A&M. I encourage you to go if you've never been. Here are a few quotes from 3 of the 12 Aggies memorials:
“Help my buddies first.” . . . uttered Tim as he lay on the fallen stack. He then directed rescue workers to five others whom he could see before allowing them to free him. Eagle Scout Tim Kerlee was posthumously granted Boy Scout’s highest award, the MEDAL OF MERIT, for his heroic actions.
"God’s hand is always there; once you grasp it, you’ll never want to let it go." - Miranda Denise Adams
I walked to the altar. I was alone when I began to pray. I prayed to the Lord to help me through times of temptation so I wouldn’t give in. I felt a feeling of warmth and security surround me and flow through me. At that moment, I knew for sure I would never be alone. When I opened my eyes I was surrounded by others and felt assured and strong. Afterward, I never felt weak, hopeless or alone again. I also believe I never will.
- Scott West, 7th Grade Church Camp
Bonfire Remembrance 10th Anniversary Video
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