I have been on Texags before, but never to the Bonfire forum. I hate to admit it, but I was afraid to re-live the pain from 5 years ago.
I have spent the past 45 minutes reading this tread in its entirety, and the tears started from the title and still haven't come close to stopping.

I thank God for the 12 Aggies, their families, and especially for every single one of you who have posted on this thread for the past 5 years.

Keeping one thread alive for 5 years for the sole purpose of honoring these brave souls is what The Spirit of Aggieland is about. God Bless every single one of you.

As a member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2008 (A!) I, like most other freshman, did not have the privilege of watching Bonfire burn. I do, however, know of the enormous effect it had on my sister, Julie class of '01. We are blessed in that she now works for this university, which I thank God for everyday and that I should be so lucky to take part in, bringing both of us back home, to Aggieland. See, Texas A&M University has been engrained in me because of her. Through her passion I have learned many things.
She was appalled and felt as though she had "fallen down on the job" when she heard that I had never been on TexAgs (as it is an institution for she and my father, who are more than frequent visitors) and insisted that I read the Bonfire forum. Although she warned me, I had no concept of what I was going to experience.
I quickly learned that reading the forum middle of the day in the Student Computing Center on main campus was a big mistake. I am already a bit of a crier, but for this the flood gates opened up. Wide. The best part of my sob-fest was that halfway through the thread, a man tapped me on the shoulder, handed me his handkerchief and said, "I can't tell you how many times this has come in handy to me while doing the exact same thing," as he looked at the picture of the candlelight ceremony on my computer screen. He walked away and left me with only one thought, "Everyone in the world should be as lucky as me. To be an Aggie."
Last night around 11:00 I left my room in Krueger and decided to go running on campus. After running for roughly 40 minutes, I stopped, turned around and without any conscious thought ran straight to Bonfire. When I arrived, I found that minus security guards, I was the only one there. I was blessed to spend a few intimate moments with the 12th man and the previous 11.
I did not ever get to see bonfire burn but I did go to the TU game that year and as a (hopeful) future Aggie I can tell you it was the exact same thing; I saw Bonfire burn in the hearts and faces of each and every Aggie there.
Thank you, Julie, for introducing me to the greatest place on Earth: Aggieland.

Gig 'Em and God Bless.

Diana Beth

[This message has been edited by dianabeth08 (edited 11/17/2004 4:37p).]

I LOVE BEING A TEXAS AGGIE!!!

When I saw the original plans for the memorial, I'm not going to lie...I hated it. I kept thinking, "there are a hundred better ways to memorialize those who died when Bonfire fell". When I went out last night, and spent time walking from portal to portal, I fell in love with it. The names have always carried a certain significance with me, but now I feel closer to the 12 members of our family -- Reading what their closest friends and family members wanted you to read and know about them -- I couldn't hold back the tears. It truly is touching.

Last night was one of my prouder moments as an Ag.

We are sure Tim and the others would have been humbled and honored by the attendance at Thursday's dedication. Thahks to all of you for keeping your promises to always remember them.

Gig'Em & God Bless

ttt

Mr. & Mrs. Kerlee --

Thank YOU for everything that you have done for our University, and continue to do.

-Ashley '05

I've never said it before, but Tim inspired me. I wish I was lucky enough to have known him.

Whoop05,you're welcome. You all mean a lot to us.
Rudyjax,Tim inspired us too, bothin his life and in his death. We wish you could have gotten a chance to know him too.

Gig'Em & God Bless

TTT

Mr. and Mrs. Kerlee-
As a member of the Falcon Sixteen Fish Class of '08 I would also like to say thank you for all that you have done and to know that your son's sacrifice will never be forgotten. Rest assured that this group of fish buddies will always remember Tim and the traditions that he upheld. God bless both of you and Tim.

Falcon 16's support and love is always appreciated. We hope we will always be a part of your "family"

Gig'Em & God Bless

Mr. Ebanks plays guitar at a church service I attend. My family sits on the side of the sanctuary that is near the choir. I see him playing and think about Michael, Tim and the others. All of them (and you) are an amazing example. Thank you.

Cecil, Thank you for your kind words. I know that all the parents of those killed and injured know that the pledge to "never forget" will be carried out by Aggies everywhere.

Gig'Em & God Bless

I've met ya'll once in passing at church... and everytime I head that way, I think about ya'll and Tim. I've said it once and I'll say it again, but thank you so much... for everything.

I had a follow-up email that I found, and didn't realize on this post. Hope I have edited it to be accecptable, but I still wanted to share

quote:

---

howdy again. Here's another contribution. This one's better in that it's geared toward Aggies. The column was written more for non Aggies. Also, now that I think about it, the Brownsville Herald may have to grant permission for the column's republication. But if you're giving the CD away, it shouldn't be a problem. Anyway, I'm not at the Herald any more.

This one's about the Aggie Mass I went to the week after Bonfire fell. It was an experience I'll never forget.

I only ask one thing if you chose to use either or both of these works. That you credit me and include "copyright, 1999" on them. Thanks and gig'em. -Carino99]

---

I'm not posting it at this time without permission, and will remove this one if I need to.


I was going thru my old emails, and I had this one from carino himself... my cd idea never came to be, but here it is:

quote:

---

Howdy...

It may be too late, but I have a contribution to offer. I was working in Brownsville when Bonfire fell and I was allowed to write a column about it in the Brownsville Herald. It you think it's fitting, I would be honored if you included it in your CD.

Cariño Casas '99
carino99 (on texags)
--
Brownsville Herald, Opinion page, Nov. 28, 1999

Every year for the past three years, the week leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday has been filled with excitement and anticipation for, not only the time off from school, but for our annual football game against archrival University of Texas and all other activities related to that game.

Even though I graduated in May and moved away from the Texas A&M campus, my excitement and anticipation level were no different this year. I'd been looking forward to this week all fall long, hoping that we would "beat the hell outta t.u.," as we Aggies say.

All that changed early Thursday, Nov. 18.

When I first heard that Bonfire had fallen and that people had been killed, I couldn't really believe it. But the denial lasted only seconds as subsequent e-mails and then the video images on CNN confirmed every word of the first message. In the end, 12 Aggies died. I've been in a subdued, distracted state of mind ever since.

Having seen the news coverage, I know this tragedy has affected people all over the world, some of whom had never heard of Texas A&M University before. It is always sad when the young have their lives cut short. We know death exists, but we pretend it only comes to the old. Death of what some would call children violently snaps us back to reality, and it hurts. But the greatest pain has been felt by the Aggie family.

Ask an Aggie, and he or she will tell you they lost 12 brothers and sisters in the collapse. I, like most Aggies around the world, did not personally know any of those killed, but I have been in mourning nonetheless.

I chose A&M because I saw something different. I felt at home the instant I stepped on campus, and I saw spirit for school that I'd only dreamed about. I was taken in by the fact that loyalty, trust and honor were not only words there but truths to live by.

As a wide-eyed freshman, I bought into everything the upperclassmen told me. My new-found friends and I did things I don't think we'd ever dreamed and without much question. But as I earned the title of upperclassman, I began to realize the point to all the rituals my friends and family back home saw as craziness.

After the initial shock of hearing 12 people died while making a bonfire passes, some will ask what the point of chopping thousands of trees down and building a nearly six-story structure with them could be. The pat Aggie answer is "to show our burning desire to beat the hell outta t.u." But it is so much more than that.

The reason Bonfire is so dear to us Aggies is that it represents comraderie and friendship. A structure like that can not be built by a few. Only teamwork by many can accomplish such a feat. And in the process, in the fellowship of working toward a common goal, friendships are begun and strengthened.

As a freshman, I practically took it on faith that, as our school song says, "We are the Aggies, the Aggies are we, true to each other as Aggies can be," was gospel truth. Studying for a journalism degree instills in one a bit of cynicism. The professors and advisers tell you to question, to not to take everything at face value. I began to do that with the Aggie traditions and my devotion to them.

I made friends at A&M that will last for years, and some a lifetime. These are people with whom I shared, not only the Aggie experience, but my life. They became family. But I began to wonder if that was true of the thousands of nameless faces I saw during my time in Aggieland. I wondered what happens to Aggie spirit when one leaves the campus.

I read news stories and e-mails and Internet postings from Aggies all over the world and of every age saying it doesn't die. After attending an Aggie Mass in Mission, Texas, I learned in my heart that it never dies.

I knew the church's priest is an Aggie. But I was still surprised and thrilled to hear the "Aggie War Hymn," our fight song, from the church tower 's bells. I entered the church to see an A&M flag draped on the altar. During the service, the 12 fallen Aggies, none from the Texas Rio Grande Valley, were remembered by name, and a church-full of people, most of whom did not know the 12, mourned them with tears. And we Aggies, some of who haven't been on campus in decades, prayed together. I felt the unity through my body, soul and mind like I hadn't since my first Silver Taps (monthly memorial service for fallen students).

Many of the Aggie traditions may seem strange and sometimes silly. As one Aggie saying goes, "From the outside looking in, you can't understand it.
>From the inside looking out, you can't explain it."

It's easy for some to see the loss of life resulting from one of our rituals gone wrong and condemn us. That is their right, but I ask that they see the whole Aggie portrait before passing judgment.

If anything, this tragedy made the best of the Aggie qualities surface and shine for all to see. For a moment, the rest of Texas, the United States and the world, caught a glimpse of what we Aggies have been trying to show all along -- that we love each other and are devoted to one another for life. Bonfire and the many other traditions are only vehicles to express those ideas because words are just not enough.

There IS an Aggie spirit that the school song says "can ne'er be told." I will not question that as long as maroon blood flows through my veins.

---

©1999 Cariño Casas

Thanks Carino
and ttt for Tim.

[This message has been edited by crazyman (edited 1/24/2005 12:04p).]

Northsidegreek06 next time you see us at church, stop and introduce yourself.
Crazyman, drop us an e-mail at thekerlees@yahoo.com

Gig'Em & God Bless

It gives me goosebumps to read about Bonfire. It was an activity I enjoyed for many years.

Tim was such a great guy. I feel honorned to have met him when I did.

Mr. Kerlee,

Thank you for the dinner on Thursday (college life @ A&M United Methodist)! I was going to come and visit, but I didn't want to hold the line up and by the time it went down, you were gone . The potatoes were great!

Mr and Mrs Kerlee,
My son was a fish when bonfire fell. He wasn't out there at the time, but was supposed to be, fate as it is. He called us at 6:30am and said he was ok, didn't have a clue what he was talking about. Then he said "Bonfire fell."
We were heading down for the game for my 25th reunion. We left early to go down.
From that moment until now, and probably forever more, and I think I can speak for all Red Pots (head yell leader, head stack for the '73 bonfire), I have wondered how we failed your son and the other 11 by what we did not pass down that would have kept them safe. What should we have done differently, what did we do wrong? 25 years had passed, but where did the ball get dropped?
I am very humbled and proud of my involvement in bonfire, I hate to see it gone. I hate worse to see 12 fine youngs kids lose their lives to such a tradition that has brought so many Ags together.
I had the priviledge of seeing the off-campus bonfire this year (and did throw in a tid-bit on "how we used to do it" that cud be a safer way than they were doing now, maybe my contribution to keeping someone safe today. My son worked a lot on it this time, and the 12 were always on all the kids' minds out there.
There are 1,000's of more things I'd like to say to you and the other parents, but I am crushed and sorry for your loss, may God comfort and bless you.
Griff Lasley '74

The Kerlees are amazing people, and though I never met Tim, I am sure he was an incredible young man. I can't imagine what it feels like to know that your son has left such a legacy. What more could a parent pray for?

gl74 Thanks for your thoughts.
txgal04 He was an incredible young man who touched many during his short life and continues to do so long after his death. While our prayers at the time were for his survival, our prayers now are that no other parents have to go through what we have. Realistically I know others will because of accidents of other types, but when they do our prayers are with them

Gig'Em & God Bless

ttt

Gig'Em & God Bless

I remember that after Bonfire fell, a poem was written about the 12th man. Basically it was along the lines that the first 11 who passed away were waiting on the 12th one before they all went on to heaven. Does anybody know what I am talking about? Does anyone have a copy of that?

yellowrose, I also remember this poem. Ive been searching for an hour trying to find it. So far no luck, but I'll keep trying. It's definately a great read for everyone.

here

Mr. and Mrs. Kerlee - thank you very much for your donation of the flag to our coffee shop at church!

For those of you who don't know, the Kerlee's have donated a maroon and white flag that honors the 12 from the bonfire collapse to A&M United Methodist's new addition - to the college's coffee shop... it's yet another wonderful thing that they have contributed to our community.

here

I visited the memorial for the first time last weekend. I had to leave after a while or I would have completely lost it.

Just returned from VA where the 5th annual golf tournament was held benefiting the Tim Kerlee JR scholarship fund and the Childrens Hospital of the Kings Daughters in Norfolk VA. It went very well and we are hoping to get the former students in Tidewater involved next year.

Gig'Em & God Bless

Sorry for intruding, but is this the poem Yellow Rose and others were looking for?

http://www.lamarvikings.com/tribute/61-70.htm

ttt

Just got back from Kentucky where Tim's old Boy Scout troop built a cabin and dedicated it to Tim's memory. He continues to touch lives even today.

Gig'Em & God Bless