Try a little kindness. . . and compassion

November 29, 2024/Business/

It’s funny how when you get older and more mature that certain situations and happenings bring back a forgotten remembrance to you. Today’s article is the result of one of those memories.

It’s the day after Thanksgiving and, because of that timing, I’m guessing that not too many will open and read this e-mail bringing them today’s issue of Funeral Director Daily. I had planned for that and was going to write about my memories of visiting the White House some years ago when my wife and I were invited for the annual turkey pardoning by the President. It’s was intended to be a light-hearted look at the Thanksgiving weekend.

Then, on Tuesday I went to the coffee shop, opened my laptop computer and went to ESPN where I was looking for the current College Football Playoff rankings. Instead of that I found this feature article titled, “Remembering a moment of unity between Texas and Texas A&M.”

The article jogged my memory back to 1999 and the “bonfire collapse” at Texas A&M that killed 12 A&M students that year preceding the annual Thanksgiving weekend rivalry football game between Texas and Texas A&M. I attended college in Texas my Freshman year and can tell you that UT/A&M is a real “Rivalry”. . . . There is no love lost between those teams and their supporters.

But tragedy has a funny way of bringing out the best in people. The powers that be, much like what happened after the 1963 Kennedy assasination in Dallas, decided that moving forward and going on with that 1999 football game was the best thing to do. . . and so only a few days after this tragedy on the A&M campus, the game took place.

At halftime, the mood was of solace and the bands were supposed to take the field for a halftime show. What happened next brought these teams together, at least for a short period of time, when the “Show Band of the Southwest”, the University of Texas Longhorn band, without notice changed their program to honor their arch-rival A&M University by not only playing “Amazing Grace” and “Taps” but by lowering their own University of Texas Flags and hoisting the Texas A&M flags in honor of their rival.

Here’s how the above linked ESPN article explained what happened:

“We were just trying to make sure that people knew that we were there with them,” (Texas Band Director) Sedatole said. “I’ve never heard Kyle Field that silent. You could hear the wires hitting the flagpoles.”

Fans wept in the stands.

Thomas Gray of Houston, a Texas fan who said he was one of the only Longhorns fans in his section on the third deck, remembers Aggies turning around and thanking him personally.

“I felt weird accepting compliments on their behalf,” he said.

In the press box, the Aggie band staff was floored.

“We had no idea they were going to do it.” . . “I remember thinking, ‘This is the classiest thing I have ever seen in my entire life.'”

The stands were still full as the Texas band performed, and Aggies fans gave the members a standing ovation. Over the loudspeakers, the Longhorn Band announcer said:

Our two institutions are great rivals, but more importantly great friends who have the highest amount of respect for each other. May the Longhorn spirit and the Spirit of Aggieland never die.”

Here is a short video of the Amazing Grace performance and flag salute of that day

Here is an anniversary news video about the Bonfire Collapse incident

Saturday Night the “Lone Star Showdown”, as the game is called, continues during the 25th Anniversary week of the Bonfire Collapse. Both teams are in the Nation’s Top 20 rankings and have an outside chance of making the College Football Playoff. They will fight fiercely on the field, but they now know that when push comes to shove “they have each other’s back”.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take: This story jolted me to be reminded that the world needs more compassion. And, as funeral directors we need to remember that and exhibit that compassion whenever possible. We have to be the caretakers taking care of those that need compassion. Yes, the funeral and cemetery business is about business, but I’ve always said that if we serve with compassion, the business will take care of itself.

I’ve told people for years that “We are not in the funeral business, we are in the compassion business”. . . . . and believing that and exhibiting that was probably the greatest business strategy that I employed. Make sure that your client families know that when they need you, you have their back.

Memories of January 1 Bowl Games — When I was a young elementary school student there were only four real bowl games in college football — The Sugar Bowl, The Cotton Bowl, The Orange Bowl, and the Rose Bowl. They were all played on New Year’s Day.

The University of Texas Longhorns always had a powerhouse football team and more often than not were the Southwest Conference Champion which allowed them to play in the Cotton Bowl held in Dallas, Texas. Our family always watched. . . and it was not for just for the game — we watched the Texas Longhorn Marching Band — “The Show Band of the Southwest” because their Director was Vince DiNino and Mr. DiNino had started his education career as the band director of our small Minnesota high school and was a great friend of my father.

I can still vividly remember those games of over 50 years ago, sitting on the living room floor and seeing how proud my dad was of his friend. It’s one of my fondest memories of my father. . . seeing him so proud of what his friend had accomplished.

A Legend’s Legacy: Vincent R. DiNino. University of Texas News

Obituary: Vincent R. DiNino. Taylor Brothers Funeral Home, Bay City, TX

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