November 18 marks the anniversary of the tragic loss of 12 students’ lives at Texas A&M University. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the tragedy, and the students’ are again being honored around campus and throughout a nation of Aggies fans.

The bonfire was a 90-year-old tradition at Texas A&M. Students and former students would build a massive bonfire leading up to the Aggies annual game agains the University of Texas, symbolizing the school’s burning desire to “beat the hell out of” their in-state rival. Students would volunteer to build the bonfire, guarding it and holding yell practice around it in advance of the Thanksgiving weekend game. The students would traditionally light the fire on or around Thanksgiving.

At 2:42 a.m. on November 18, 1999, the bonfire collapsed while students worked on it. In all, 12 were killed and 57 were injured in the accident. Today, there is a memorial dedicated to the lives lost on the former bonfire site. It features 12 “portals,” each one pointed toward one of the 12 victims’ hometowns.

Join us in remembering the fallen Aggies.