It is a day that united Aggies near and far, and it brought a community closer. On November 18, 1999, the Texas A&M bonfire collapsed.

Ask anyone where they were that day, and they'll remember. But, most Aggies like Will Hurd, who was the student body president at the time, will tell you they would erase that memory if they could.

"I probably had just gone to bed a couple hours before and then people started calling me left and right," Hurd said. "The first person I met at Texas A&M was the one that finally woke me up and said Bonfire had fell and I should get on to campus. So, I jumped in my Kia Sophia and came up to campus. I probably got there 20 to 25 minutes after the actual incident. When I drove up and I saw the number of emergency vehicles and the number of students and residents that had come down to see what was going on and try to help it was pretty shocking."

Just minutes after the stack collapsed, rescue efforts were underway. For 24 hours, crews and students worked, removing most logs by hand in fear of injuring those trapped even more.

Despite countless hands working and praying, 12 Aggies lost their lives that morning and 27 others were injured.

"If I could have never had that experience I would easily have given it up," Hurd said.

As student body president, Will Hurd was charged with keeping students calm and organized. Not an easy task for a senior who, like many others knew the fallen.

That day changed his life forever, and when we met up with him it was his first trip back to the site of the collapse.

"It's taken me 10 years to come back and see this, but I'm glad I have," Hurd said. "You know when you first walk in I got goose bumps, chills, coming back and seeing the field and having visions of that day come back it hits you."

November 18, 1999 is a day many won't forget. A day to honor those lost and to remember what's at the heart of this community.

"Everybody talks about the Aggie spirit and the sense of community in Aggieland. It was real that day. That day brought it home because so many people came out," Hurd said.

Will Hurd will be one of the speakers at a remembrance ceremony that will take place at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Reed Arena. KBTX will be streaming that live online. Also, be sure to join News Three on November 18th, as we will have complete coverage of the 10th anniversary of the collapse. Our first show will air at 2:30 a.m. with another airing at 6:30 p.m.