Lubbock Aggie Alum Remembers Bonfire Collapse
By: Danielle Todesco
Updated: November 17, 2009
It's been ten years tonight since 12 people were killed in the tragic Texas A&M bonfire accident.
One Lubbock Aggie-alum is speaking out to tell his story of what happened.
Travis Rubelee was a new senior in 1999 and recalls finishing his shift of building the 59-foot tower for bonfire just hours before it collapsed. It was 2:42 in the morning on November 18th when the tower fell, killing 12 and injuring 27 others.
Rubelee says he had gone to bed after leaving the group and was woken up when it fell down. He says they rushed to the scene and tried to help but were stopped by authorities trying to rescue students from the rubble. Rescue efforts lasted an entire 24 hours with students themselves removing logs to find survivors. Rubelee says life after the accident will never be the same.
"Looking down at my hand seeing the ring on my finger knowing that it could have been one of my friends out there. It could have been me out there. Any one of us could have been caught in the stack because we all worked on bonfire. Would I like to see it burn again...yes. Is it going to burn again like I remember it...probably not."
