Bonfire

I stole this from a great Aggie Website. This is what being a Texas Aggie is about and why we are better than everyone else. God Bless.

Guys,

I wanted to share with you a story that I really haven’t shared publicly of one of the most amazing kids I have ever met. It is in by no ways a story about me, but of the bravery, courage, and loyalty of Tim Kerlee, Jr. I hope that we all pause and remember the 12 that passed away 10 years ago tonight.Jay Sartain ’00As a side note, Tim Sr. and Janice Kerlee are two of the finest people you will ever meet. Here are two people would could have blamed and despised A&M, but not only did they not do that, they moved to College Station to minister to Aggie students and form an endowed scholarship in Tim Jr.’s honor. Tim Sr. is now retired, but Janice has gone on to get ordained as a United Methodist Minister. If you ever see them on campus, please stop and tell them hello…truly inspirational people. I would also recommend the following book that was written by Janice and tells the story of Tim (you can find online); A Chance to Say Goodbye, By Janice Cross Kerlee.

The Night I Met Tim Kerlee Jr.It had been a long day for me and I had just fallen asleep in my rack in Dorm 9. All of the sudden, I hear a broken voice come over my TAMU EMS radio saying that stack had collapsed. I had first thought I was dreaming, but shortly after the first communication had come in the “tone outs” had begun and the reality of what I was about to see started to stir in my mind. I was officially off duty that night, but as any medic/police/fire personnel will tell you, one is never off duty when a major event occurs in your district. I jumped out of my rack, quickly told my old lady that stack had collapsed - check on our outfit, and ran for my car in the Southside garage. On the drive over to bonfire site I began to think maybe no one is seriously injured and maybe we just have a few injuries; some broken legs, bruises, and scrapes. Not until I arrived on location did I truly realize the seriousness of the situation. It would later be reported by many that they had heard screaming from the stack and they saw chaos, but for me it was an eerie silence I was experiencing in the darkness. I made my first pass around the stack, where I encountered my fellow medics who had already began to triage patients. It was then when I realized that there were some kids that didn’t make it.Recognizing I should move on and begin to help elsewhere, I found myself on the back side of stack where I came upon a young man who wasn’t concerned about himself. I didn’t know his name, but recognized his distinct Charlie Brown outfit that one of the Squadron outfits had their fish wear.

Here was a kid, by all my training would tell me, shouldn’t be talking to me due to the seriousness of his injuries. Unconcerned about himself, he demanded I help his buddies in the fallen stack below before I helped him. It was truly a quick moment in time, but it is something I have carried with me since that early morning. Everything else to me seems like a blur in time. In fact, my next memory is talking to my Dad from the site on a borrowed cell phone to tell him I was ok. The sun had already come up and the news helicopters were already circling. In the days that would follow, I got to learn about who really was the kid I talked to on the stack. It was Tim Kerlee, Jr. and he had lived long enough to let his parents make it in from Tennessee and tell him it was ok to leave and meet God. Tim and I had allot in common, he was an Eagle Scout, member of the Corps of Cadets, and a United Methodist. Word had gotten out in the media that Tim was directing emergency workers to help his buddies before helping himself (I would later learn that Tim told this to at least one other fellow medic).

Somehow my name was brought to the attention in the A&M administration and I was asked to write a letter in support of Tim receiving the Boy Scouts of America’s highest honor ? the Medal of Merit. It was probably the fastest and hardest thing I have written in my life, but the words flowed out with ease as I didn’t even have to think what to say. I only had to pause to wipe away tears that were staining the paper. I had submitted the letter to the National office of the Boy Scout’s with one simple request ? please let me know the decision on the award. It was just a week later I received word that my letter caused the Boy Scout’s to approve Tim for the Medal of Merit the fastest in its history. In my mind, there was no question that Tim deserved it.In March 2000, I was contacted by the Boy Scout’s and asked to come to Tennessee to help present the award to Tim’s parents (Janice and Tim Sr.). Dr. Southerland’s office (VP for Student Affairs) was gracious enough to arrange all the travel for myself and several of my fellow medics to go up for the ceremony. It was in Memphis, I had the first opportunity to meet Tim’s parents and tell them how great a son they raised. It was that night I realized how truly precious life is.In closing, what I want people to gain from this story is that you must live everyday like it’s your last; devote yourself to help others in your community…live life like Tim would have.Gig'em and God Bless