This past week I got to spend a couple of days in my home away from home, College Station. My trip down there came at a somewhat inconvenient time emotionally, but being back in that town reminded me of a time in my life when things just seemed easier. When the only thoughts on my mind were class, soccer and when/where we were going out. It was nice to see how much the city has changed and reminisce for a short while. I realized it has been 10 years since I lived in College Station and couldn't believe how far I have come and how far I still have to go in life.
During my sophomore year, tragedy struck when bonfire collapsed killing 12 of our fellow Aggies. One of those Aggies happened to be my good friend, Mike. I had visited the Bonfire Memorial a few years ago after it was completed, but decided to go back while I was there this past week to take some photos. It was Thursday morning so classes were in full swing, but I was surprised how peaceful it was at the site. This past November marked 12 years since the collapse. For those of us that witnessed the tragedy firsthand, and others that experienced it, we will never forget.
Here is a quick explanation of the memorial. When you first enter, the "Last Corps Trip" is carved in stone on this massive wall. This poem was read before the burning of every bonfire. As you continue down the path, there are a series of granite blocks that represent the history of bonfire. Notches are cut along the length of the granite to represent every year the bonfire was burned. There is a large cutout for 1963, when the bonfire was disassembled, log by log, after the assassination of JFK. The main site has 12 portals or doorways that represent each person killed during the collapse. These doorways open towards each person's hometown. In the center is a marker where centerpole once stood.
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| Bonfire Memorial |
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| Centerpole |
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| Centerpole with Mike's Memorial in background |
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| Mike's Memorial |
