Layne Chesney was 14 years old and a star softball player when the accident happened in Fort Pierce. For information about the documentary, including showtimes and locations, click here. But I'm just glad to be out.". Then, she'll get to come home and then, we'll go back to Riley three or four days a week for physical therapy with her," Sarah said. . Several people received . At the Systems Building, Texas A&M leaders erected pictures of the deceased students. Bachner, a sophomore at Glenbard East High School, was was released from the hospital earlier in May after being treated for 2nd and 3rd degree burns on her face and head. [15], Parents of students injured or killed in the collapse filed lawsuits against Texas A&M officials, including President Ray Bowen, Vice President of Student Affairs J. Malon Southerland, the 1999 redpots, and the university. She also has an extreme phobia of any kind of open flame - making fireworks and bonfire night a terrifying occasion. [2], A commission created by Texas A&M University discovered that a number of factors led to the bonfire collapse, including "excessive internal stresses" on the logs and "inadequate containment strength" in the wiring used to tie the logs together. With so much changing so quickly, keep on top of what is happening with the Mirror's news updates by email. The task force recommended that students be allowed to participate in building the bonfire as long as they were monitored by professional construction experts. First responders led the welcome home parade for 12-year-old Natalie Zofkie Wednesday. A 16-year-old Florida girl who was badly burned in a 2017 New Year's Eve bonfire accident has died, according to her mother. The . But I don't know if I really deserved all that.". COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KTRK) -- Hundreds gathered on the campus of Texas A &M University early Wednesday to remember the 12 people who died when Aggie Bonfire collapsed 21 years ago. Autumn is among four others in the Loyola burn unit. You have permission to edit this article. The accident ended the bonfire as an annual campus tradition although students and alumni still hold the event off-campus without support from the university. People sent thousands of e-mails about the cartoon to the newspaper offices. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. Zofkie reunited with friends who have prayed for months for her recovery. You need to get to Riley,'" Sarah recalled. "For like almost a month, everyone thought I was going to die, said Zofkie. He was holding the gas can in his right hand resulting in the lost of the tips of all 10 fingers. Louise, 39, and partner Carl Dover, 43, had used this method to dispose of old furniture and other waste several times before - but this time he was away with work. On Nov. 18, just after 2:40 a.m., something went terribly wrong and the structure made up of about 5,000 trees collapsed. "He called and said, 'Something terrible happened. He stayed with me, instead of going to prom, she said. At approximately 2:42a.m.[a] on November 18, 1999, the annual Aggie Bonfire at Texas A&M University collapsed during its construction, killing 12 people and injuring 27. Zofkies mother, Sarah Zofkie, said her daughter is not expected to require further surgery. Officials have not released the names of the victims; the Bachners described the teens as having varying degrees of injuries, some still hospitalized. Its not too bad to talk about, she said. Glendale Heights police are still investigating and would not comment on the case, though they have said they dont believe the incident was malicious. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 25-year-old Natalie Smith was driving west on County Road 18 near Southwest 78th Place with 29-year-old Tyler Ritchie and another passenger around 11:37pm when, for unknown reasons, the 2007 Honda Accord went off road and onto the north shoulder. She fought a hard battle right until the end never wanting to quit because quitting was not in her nature a Facebook page for her supporters reported Friday. That is why medical academy teacher Tyann Thomson and fellow teachers decided to organize a blood drive. I guess the gas can had about this much left in it, and the fumes are what ignited and caused the fire," Sarah said. 2 teens burned in bonfire explosion reunited with medical responders Kaycee Nitta,17, is shown during the UMC Trauma Survivor's Celebration at Caesars Palace, 3570 S. Las Vegas Boulevard, on. "I've had countless nightmares where I've woken up thinking I was burning and my kids have had to come in and calm me down. "I got out of bed every day and went to my therapy, said Zofkie. It heals through time.. She longs to return to the varsity cheerleading squad and sometimes attends practice to be supportive, though its hard to watch everyone else doing what she loves when she cant participate. There's definitely a lot of pain and tears and it was very lonely. At half-time, the Texas Longhorn Band dedicated their performance to the students lost and injured in the collapse, and ended by playing "Amazing Grace" and "Taps", then removing their white hats in a show of respect as they walked off the field. The firefighters who treated Zofkie at the scene welcomed her home, leading the parade that provided the Zofkie an escort for the last few miles to her home. "[25], Detractors further blamed the school for the accident, saying that, in the name of tradition, administrators turned a blind eye to an unsafe structure being constructed with minimal engineering and safety protocols. Before sunrise, the accident was the subject of news reports around the world. She's endured about a dozen surgeries and painful rehabilitation for her skin grafts. Natalie and her friends had feasted on traditional Thanksgiving sides before deciding to light up a cozy bonfire. "Seeing her was really, really tough especially when you know how she's always been, which is so spunky, always a light in a room. People tried to put out the fire. Who is moving in and out of your neighborhood? Everybody has hung out with her, babysat her, done something.". "Any father or mother who sees their child in a burn unit, it's just a roller coaster of emotions," her uncle said. A firefighter who was killed in a Christmas Day car crash while heading to an emergency call was laid to rest Sunday. [2] Ten students and one former student were killed in the initial collapse, while another student died in the hospital the next day bringing the total deceased to twelve. Former US President George H. W. Bush, his wife Barbara, Texas Governor George W. Bush, and his wife Laura attended the remembrance ceremony. As . It's like you always know you could get burned. Comstock returned to A&M in 2001 to finish his degree. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). James returned home from Vanderbilt's Burn Center in April after more than four months in the. I try to live in such a way that I would honor their memories and honor their lives, Davis said. On November 18, 1999, a stack of over 5,000 logs collapsed on Texas A&M campus as students were building their annual bonfire before the Texas game on Thanksgiving day. They were both med-flighted to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee,. Students, including the entire Texas A&M football team and many members of the university's Corps of Cadets, rushed to the site to assist rescue workers with the manual removal of the logs. MADISON COUNTY, Ala. - In November 2019, James Boyle and Natalie Skye were burned in an explosion during a bonfire. Natalie Zofkie returned home from the hospital to a hero's welcome Wednesday. "You know, 'You're not supposed to do things like that,' but you just don't think that's going to happen," Sarah said. Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices, cap costs at $35 for many people with diabetes. [1], The 59-foot-high (18m) stack, consisting of about 5,000 logs, collapsed during construction. [14] Various organizations also established funds in memory of the victims and to help with expenses incurred because of the accident. Anyone from the public is welcome to donate blood. COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KETK) - November marks 20 years since one East Texas woman lost her life in a beloved Aggie tradition. But burn healing is a long, long process. It was a tradition that spanned decades; students would spend months constructing a massive log tiered tower to be burned on campus before a rivalry football game. The parts that are really sensitive, I dont even want to touch, she said. Zofkie family photo. Korryn Bachner was among a dozen teens injured last month in a backyard fire pit explosion at the Glendale Heights, Ill., home of a friend. "And thats just something simply that we can do by giving 15 minutes. What was supposed to be a nice end to the evening and warm everybody up, though, quickly turned into a tragedy. In a split second, her entire lower body was engulfed in flames and the burning petrol that drenched her clothes was slowly starting to creep up her body. HAZEL GREEN, Ala. (WAFF) - Students and faculty at Hazel Green High School are going the extra mile to help their own. A color guard stood at attention as the family car pulled into the driveway and Zofkie exited the backseat. The annual bonfire, which began in 1909, was the ultimate tradition for many people on Texas A&M's 5,200-acre campus in College Station, about 100 miles . So if I can do it, then you all can do it, because I am a wimp when it comes to pain.". This is probably the most exciting thing I've ever done in my life. Natalie pulled through that first night, then the first week and now the first month. Natalie said she will home school for the rest of this semester, then plans to return to class for seventh grade in the fall. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. In that moment, I saw the ground moving and somehow it didnt really get into my brain this thing is falling. GoFundMe pages have been set up for several of the victims. All rights reserved. In the early stages, many wondered if there would ever be a welcome home for her. Some eyewitnesses say the collapse time was before 2:42 a.m. and that 2:42 was the time of the police report. RELATED: 12-year-old boy and his dog killed by wildfire in Oregon, RELATED: Young heroes rescue Marion man from burning home. An explosion occurred. "One of the worst things you could ever imagine, especially with a little girl. [2][5] The Texas A&M civil engineering department was also called on to examine the site and help the workers determine the order in which the logs could be safely removed, and, at the request of the Texas Forest Service, Steely Lumber Company in Huntsville, Texas, sent log-moving equipment and operators. Doctors have told Sarah they believe Natalie will be able to walk and should regain full mobility. He considers these things blessings that he knows 12 of his classmates will never experience. "Jamie was trying to help me get them off but he was in complete shock at what was happening. I never felt like I was going to die. Over 40,000 people lit candles and observed up to two hours of silence at the site of the collapse, before walking to Kyle Field for yell practice. We are heart broken, but remain always grateful that she was a part of our lives and world- we just wish it had been for a lot longer with us here on Earth. the Facebook page said. 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