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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 22, 1999)
iryan Allan McClain of San Antonio was ►one of 50 students in Dr. Dudley Smith’s htroduction to Agronomy class, but the torps of Cadets member’s quiet, polite and massuming manner made him stand out, his professor said. “He symbolized the dedication of a Corps lember,” Smith said. “He was always in uni- jrm. He was always very neat. ‘Yes sir, No Bit.' All of that.” see McClain on Page 3. Lucas John Kimmel 19 Corpus Christi Freshman biomedical science major ucas Kimmel was following in his older ^brother’s footsteps when he decided to at- ?nd Texas A&M University and join the porps of Cadets. He followed in the traditions kf the school by helping build the annual Ag ile bonfire. This school year was the first one away Jrom home for the freshman, who had just [elebrated his birthday Sunday. A graduate p Tliloso-Midway High School in Corpus see Kimmel on Page 3. Christopher Lee Heard 19 Houston Sophomore petroleum engineering major ULVEY/Tiik Dm [.asMi** memory of lostj C hris Heard graduated last year from the Marine Military Academy in Har- jlingen, where he led by example. Col. Tom iHobbs said. ''He was an individual that everyone 3oked up to,” Col. Hobbs, retired from the .Si Marine Corps and director of institu- |onaI advancement at the academy, said, le served as an outstanding example for Jthers to follow. He was admired by a lot of see Heard on Page 3. Jamie Lynn Hand 19 Henderson Sophomore environmental design major y an hour before! hey did not mafl e with blood, sw|| ng because thejF it something loll] ig to us,” Mitcli ?s you can dot iem, or you cant ■Tamie Lynn Hand had been a cheerleader w the tragedy(W at Henderson High School in East Texas the grief studf! jnd was part-time teacher at Henderson sts captured I fgh School. /hile the logsWB “She was just a one-of-a-kind kid,” Ray Deason, a neighbor and Jamie’s principal at ‘re among thosf ^ ort hside Elementary School, said, overage and sj "^ ie an ' n f ect i ous smile for everyone. ” ,cc aVrhP stnrkil Deason has been a neighbor of the 77 Hcirf Ciu f anc ^ family for 25 years. He saw Jamie ;gies always ccr| see Hand on Page 3. Jeremy Richard Frampton 22 Turlock, Calif. Senior psychology major us. e that it conti lost their lives^ nol said. “ I those injured IS AT eremy Richard Frampton was a senior psy chology major and a native of Thrlock, Calif., he was a member of the Texas A&M Univer sity Corps of Cadets for four years. He was Jtnown for taking a leadership role in the an- OCfv nflj nual Bonfire. l “I can never think of a time when Jeremy * and nurMertf a PP roach something with a positive at- . ’ , ,, titude,” Turlock High School principal Rod is updated wee' H 0 n arS) w j 10 was a i so Jeremy’s football coach .VICE SPECp SEE Frampton on Page 3. lngedwC Christopher David Breen 25 Austin Class of 1996 rgar itree s Station Loctf S. Texas ^ 96-2076. C hristopher David Breen, who earned a de gree in agriculture development in Decem- er 1997, returned to Texas A&M on Wednes day night to help construct the Aggie Bonfire. 1 Christopher, a former Brown Pot, was there to help select the next generation of construction bosses for the Bonfire. I “Chris was here as a former student and a former Bonfire participant,” Dr. Chris Townsend, a professor of agriculture see Breen on Page 3. One Opirit... JP BEATO/Thk Battalion Many Aggies have left their Aggie rings at the Bonfire site to honor the Aggies who died before they were able to receive their own. OJcvefue CRi 67/2 e/n BY RICHARD BRAY The Battalion I n the aftermath of the tragedy at the Bonfire site early Thursday morning, students and organizations on campus are helping mem bers of the Aggie family cope with the tragedy. On Nov. 25, the date Bonfire was originally scheduled. Aggies will have an opportunity to show their respect for those who died in the accident during a sunset gathering at the Bonfire site. Certain outfits in the Corps of Cadets are not wearing medals or cords on their uniforms, but instead are wearing black ribbons in remembrance of the fallen Aggies. The Corps chaplains are also offering spiritual counseling to any students who need it, but are focusing primarily on Cadets. Jeremiah Ebeling, the chaplain for Company B-l and a se nior management major, said the chaplains have been per forming a variety of services to help cadets in this difficult time. “The chaplains have been doing things ranging from Bible studies to just sitting down with cadets who need someone to talk to or someone to cry with,” Ebeling said. Official Bonfire shirts from the MSC have been revised as memorial shirts. The money wifi go to the families of the students who died in the accident. The sales are expected to gen-. erate between $6,000 and $8,000. Beth Weems, the Class of ’02 president and a sophomore biomedical science major, said there have been many changes made to both shirts that are sold commemorating Bonfire. “The one that had ‘90th Anniversary’ on the back has been changed to have a memorial rib bon on the sleeve and it says ‘In Memory Of,”’ Weems said. “The second one says ‘Memori alizing the Fallen; Interceding for the Injured, Uniting the Aggie Spirit, Fightin’ Texas Aggie Bonfire 1999; May it remain with us always.’” The shirts go on sale today in the MSC and the short- sleeved shirts cost $10 and the long-sleeved shirts cost $12. The Association of Former Students and the Texas A&M Foundation have established two funds in honor of the 12 vic tims of the accident. The Association is managing a General Relief Fund for the families affected by the accident, and the Foundation is managing the Bonfire Memorial Fund. Foun dation officials said they have been receiving donations from across the nation. Donations can be sent to: Texas A&M Foundation, 401 George Bush Dr., College Station, Texas 77840. The Texas A&M Foundation can be reached at 1-800-392-3310 for more information. The 12th Man Student Foundation is donating $1,200 to The friendship that unites us is beyond death and time. the Bonfire Memorial Fund and will send cards to the fami lies of those who died. The Aggie Mom’s Club Federation, composed of 116 clubs with over 8,000 active moms reaching over 25,000 students, are coordinating memorials for Aggies throughout the state and are coordinating busing for funerals in Henderson and Carrollton. The Resident Hall Association gave the FHK Complex three wreaths to place in the FHK quad as a memorial to the three FHK students lost in the accident. The hall also has placed roses on the doors of students who lost loved ones and have provided counseling in the A-l Lounge. Resi dent Advisors placed maroon and white rib bons on the trees surrounding the complex and on the balcony railings. Mike Guerra, the FHK Hall Council presi dent and a sophomore biomedical engineer ing major, organized the busing for students to attend the funerals of the three FHK stu dents who died in the accident. Other students have responded by making the Bonfire site a memorial. The fencing sur rounding the site has been covered with poems, ribbons, flowers, hats, 12th Man towels, Bible verses, Aggie rings and Bonfire pots. A message board was placed at the site Sunday morning for visitors to convey their feelings. White crosses have also been erected with the victims’ names written in maroon. Students can also express their concern by signing the posters the Student Government Association Office has pro vided in the MSC hallway. The posters will be given to the students in the hospital and the families of those who have passed away. Samuel E. Murdock, a sophomore business administration major, summed it up best in describing how he feels about the reactions of his fellow Aggies to this tragedy. “I’ve never felt so proud of my University as I do at this time,” he said. “To see the unification of all Aggies, regard less of age, sex, religion or sexual orientation, just makes my heart swell with pride and my faith in the world strengthened. The friendship that unites us is beyond death and time.” Tim Doran Kerlee Jr. 17 Bartlett, Tenn. Sophomore mechanical engineering major A t Friday night’s playoff football game at Germantown High School in Tennessee, Tim Doran Kerlee’s former classmates took a moment to pray for the youth chosen the “most intelligent member of the senior class.” Tim, a first-year student who had enough credits to be classified as a sophomore, was badly injured in the Aggie Bonfire collapse and became the 12th person to die from the accident. see Kerlee on Page 3. Michael Stephen Ebanks 19 Carrollton Freshman aerospace engineering major M ichael Stephen Ebanks, a freshman aerospace engineering major, had want ed to be an astronaut since he was old enough to know what one was, a family friend said. He had a wide range of interests and talents necessary to tackle them success fully. He was on the golf team his fresh man and sophomore years at Newman Smith High School dropping off the team see Ebanks on Page 3. Miranda Denise Adams 19 Santa Fe Sophomore biomedical science major M iranda Denise Adams, was a sopho more biomedical science major at Texas A&M. “She really loved science classes,” Melis sa Blair;' Adams’ anatomy and physiology teacher at Santa Fe High School, said. “She’s fantastic, energetic, intelligent,” Blair said. “I couldn’t keep up with her. And, if I’d tried all the other students would have been left behind.” 6erecf\ see Adams on Page 3. Nathan Scott West 19 Bellaire Sophomore oceanography major N athan Scott West spent every moment he could tinkering on his beige Volk swagen Beetle. He and his father, Richard, re stored the -old car, even putting in a new en gine, neighbors in Bellaire, a bedroom community in Houston, said. “He and his dad worked on that old VW bug every chance he got. He was determined to get it running,” neighbor Renee McCurry said. “A lot of kids get cars when they turn 16. But he worked for his, see West on Page 3. Jerry Don Self 20 Arlington Junior engineering technology major J erry Don Self of Arlington was known during his years at Lamar High School for volunteering, showing his school spirit and being involved in student activities. Jerry, a junior engineering major at Texas A&M University, graduated from Lamar in 1997. In addition to being on the student council his senior year, he was in the Span ish club, on the track team and on the varsi ty football team. see Self on Page 3. Chad Anthony Powell 19 Keller Sophomore computer engineering major W hen Chad Powell addressed the Keller High School graduating class last spring as valedictorian, he began by thanking his parents and family. In the process, he broke into tears. “And then he found the poise to continue with a very inspiring speech to his fellow stu dents,” said Julie Zwahr, Keller’s director of communications. Friends, teachers and acquaintances see Powell on Page 3.