mber 22,1 Battalion
Page 7 • November 22, 1999
uppoil
rictii
BY BRIAN FLEMING
The Battalion
ohn Donne once wrote, “Any man’s death dimin
ishes me, because I am involved in mankind.” In the
wake of Thursday’s tragedy, many throughout the
mmunity and beyond have felt the same as the loss
friends, family and loved ones became known. Reac-
ns have been of fear, grief and unity, not only between
low Aggies, but with students from afar as well.
Eddie Saucedo, a sophomore management major,
d his reaction to these events were ones that contin-
d to change as the day unfolded.
“Early that morning, when I first heard of what hap-
ned, it was just a shock,” he said. “It sank in pretty
jpBEATo/iii^qilick, however. Then it was just of concern.”
ound Bonfire site in ■ Since he was involved with Bonfire this year,
It of the collapseo-Saucedo said one of his immediate concerns were
irlslogetll,ecan*j f +. t J 1 l e P e oP l , , : h .eknew. ..... D f .
e they have 9 Almost all ot my buddies participate in Bonfire,
; ‘ ■ so 1 immediately wanted to see if they were all
. l 1 / ! ! right,” he said. “Once I found out they were, I be-
c uiu u,n Dcte(! : came so C0nC erned for the others because I knew
ore and we areatteL my of them as well.”
andles Irom oulsij Saucedo said from that point on, the tragedy became
lity, but there is noiMrder and harder to handle.
r candles, so wehM“It was all very chaotic,” Saucedo said. “That
enough by Thursi morning and all day, 1 just wanted to do something
ey said the issue to help out but despite what 1 could do, 1 just had
to the entire VeRich a helpless feeling.”
lity and everyone!:* Saucedo said his participation in the rescue effort
ey can to make ihMpcd to take his mind off of the tragedy,
should be. I * helped move logs, the hard work and my own
and support hase.\T 0|ie helped me to take my mind off of what happened
Texas borders ■ everyone came together,” Saucedo said. “But the
Vheu of Seiiile^irP8 edy was alwa V s in the back of m V mind.”
I . 1 , R , Throughout the day, many relied on media coverage
1 " | 1 jto keep them up to date on what was happening. Anne
onations will go ^m ors i < j ) a junior management information systems ma
norial tuna. j or) gaifj as s } ie watched the media coverage, it became
iccount can be acm r( j e r anc ] harder to handle.
Rivals.com undeiH “At first, when I turned on the news, I had such a
vlemorial Fund. Ik feeling of denial. And as the day went on, it just became
make donations so sad. I hoped that with every log they moved, every-
the mail oratarnTjone would come out alive.”
location. ■ Sikorski said her feelings can not compare to what
Rhodes, Bank ciphers might feel.
. officer, said don;f| “I have just been so sad about all of this,” Sikorski
y made from acrosiP- “I ) ust cannot imagine how all of the victims and
untry.
xtended family
Through tragedy, Texas A&M students realize close ties extend beyond campus
their families feel. My heart goes out to all of them.’
nnQt rpppntlv rpffflM Leslie Eschbach, a senior psychology major, said af-
, I , l Jer turning on the news she was shocked,
trom Ida o, f “[ looked at the television as soon as I saw the screen,
ay knees buckled and I just dropped to the floor.”
count was sorted
", and it showtow®
iort this comm®
agic time. ”
The effects of this event have been felt all over the
world and in a number of ways.
In Italy, at the Santa Chaira Study Center, Aggies be
gan to hear the news.
Eschbach said with her sister there, she has heard of
the reactions from students and members of the Euro
pean community.
“From what I have heard, people over there were
crying and mourning the loss,” Eschbach said. “The
news did not travel as fast but I heard from my sister lat
er that day. She said no one overseas can believe that
this happened.”
With the interests of their fellow Texans and friends
at heart, students at universities across the state have
sent their deepest sympathies.
Martida Sealy, a sophomore advertising major at
Southern Methodist University, said for the past two
days, their campus has been very somber.
“Shock is the main thing people here feel,” she said.
“It really is an eye opening experience since nothing that
tragic has happened here in a long time that I know of. ”
Sealy said for many at SMU, there was concern
for Aggie friends.
“I know a lot of people here went to high school with
some of the victims and for them, I know this has just
been tragic. ”
Amber Rademacher, a sophomore general studies
major at the University of Texas, said she has friends at
A&M and was immediately concerned.
“I watched the news trying to see if there was any
one I knew,” she said.
Unfortunately, she later learned she knew one of
the victims.
“Later on that day, I was on my computer when
my friend sent me an instant message,” she said.
“She told me Bryan McClain was one of the students
who died and I just started to cry. Even though I had
not seen him in a while, we were friends in high
school, and 1 was just so shocked.”
Rademacher said the mood within the Longhorn
community has been somber.
“Here at U.T, everyone is so concerned,”
Rademacher said. “All over campus for the last two
days everyone has been so sad and respectful. Peo
ple have been quiet, usually just whispering and
walking with their heads down.”
Antera Drake, a junior radio, television and film ma
jor at UT, said of the many things the University has done
out of respect, there are a few notable acts which demon
strate the school’s concern for the Aggies.
“People have shown tremendous respect by wearing
CODY WAGES/Thi: Battalion
A&M students gather at the perimeter set up by investigators to remember those who died when stack fell.
ribbons and on our paper. The Daily Texan, there was
great coverage as well.”
Sealy said at SMU, The Daily Campus coverage was
respectful as well.
Despite this week’s game, students of UT have ex
pressed their regard and respect which goes beyond a
school rivalry.
Drake said incidents such as this prove how insignif
icant something like rivalry can be.
“This just proves that relations between the two uni
versities is nothing to really be taken seriously,” Drake
said. “It is only about football, basketball and other
sports, not human lives.”
Rademacher said during this week’s much antic
ipated event, the Longhorns are less concerned with
a rivalry as they will be mourning right alongside
the Aggies.
“No one here seems to even care about the game
now,” he said. “Instead of a rivalry, 1 know at Kyle Field,
we will all come together and unite as friends.”
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