Student proud of how classmates handled bus crash

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By JEFFREY HAGE jeff.hage@lee.net
Saturday, October 14, 2006 8:50 PM CDT

Ryan Burk knew his fellow classmates needed him the morning of Oct. 16, 2005.

A tragedy had fallen upon Burk and other passengers in Bus No. 1. The manner in which a group of high school students stepped up and acted as adults in the worst of conditions still surprises him to this day.

Burk sees the triumph of the spirit as the act of conquering hardships facing one’s soul. He sees it as moving on through the most difficult of times.

That’s what he and other Chi-Hi students did that October morning.

“We were calm, we assessed the situation, and did our best to stay in control,” Burk said.

He was proud of himself and classmates in the days and weeks after the tragedy, and a bond created along a highway grew to the hallways of Chippewa Falls High School.

“I saw the whole school come together,” Burk said.

The marching band has always been one big family.

’We’re always there to handle each other’s drama when people are hurting, going through a break-up or the loss of a family member,” he said.

But the climate at school changed that October morning.

“That bond grew to a greater scale and it reached beyond the band. There was a closeness among everyone at school,” he said.

Burk holds dear the memories of a football game nine days after the accident. The band, as a means of healing and giving thanks to the community for its support, took to the field for a special halftime performance.

“It was amazing how everyone there just cheered. When it was time for us to perform, it got so quiet that you could hear a pin drop on that field,” he said.

“It was amazing how attentive they were to us.”

The week of Oct. 16, 2005, made Ryan appreciate how precious life is and how special times in life should be cherished.

“Life can change just like that, so you should take advantage of every moment you have,” he said.

A year has passed and the band has marched into the future.

“We know what happened; we’ve remembered it, and know that now it’s time to move on,” Burk said.

“Triumph of the Spirit . . . it’s a lot about moving forward.”