Today I am thankful to be an Aggie...

I still remember it like it was yesterday. I woke up in the middle of the night with knots in my stomach and I had no idea why. I figured it was nothing so I went back to sleep. My alarm went off that morning and I woke up to the most devastating news, Aggie Bonfire had collapsed and at least 8 were dead and others were still on the stack. I couldn't breathe, I just thought it had to be wrong and I was in a nightmare, but it happened. When the dust settled, we had lost 12 amazing Aggies. I had thought about going to A&M but it wasn't my dream school at the time, little did I know God had a different plan in mind. I thought I was for sure going to that other school in Austin with friends from high school. But on this day everything changed. My family and I met my sister down in College Station for the memorial service being held the night Bonfire was supposed to burn. I didn't really want to go, because deep down in my heart I knew what was about to happen. We stepped on that field and my life changed forever. I had someone come and light the candle I was holding and it ignited my fire for A&M. My heart had never been so heavy in all my life, as it was that night. I felt like I knew each of those 12 Aggies that had died on the stack that day. I felt a part of this Aggie family and that I had just lost 12 brothers and sisters. It didn't take 5 mins after my candle had been lit that I turned to my mom, with tears streaming down my face not being able to say a word and all she said was "I know." She knew at that moment I was going to be an Aggie, she felt it, my sister felt it, and my dad felt it. We got home after that night and I researched how to graduate from high school early so that I could begin my journey as a Aggie. Texas A&M University means the world to me. I know even if this tragedy had never happened I would have ended up there because my heart and soul was always an Aggie, and nothing could have changed that. There is so much more I could say about this special university, but today I am going to just be thankful that I can call myself an Aggie, and that I will forever be a part of this Aggie Family. "There is a spirit can ne'er be told, it's the Spirit of Aggieland."

To the 12 that were lost-you will always be in my heart. Your spirit will live on.