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OSU, fans remember 10 who died in crash

THE OKLAHOMAN, January, 28, 2007
By Andrea Cohen

STILLWATER — Saturday night was the first time Oklahoma State played on Jan. 27 since 2001, the date of the plane crash that killed 10 members of the Cowboys' basketball team and staff.

Flowers and wreaths covered the memorial in the lobby of Gallagher-Iba Arena, and Eddie Sutton made a rare speech on the basketball court named for him, asking the crowd to participate in the inagural Remember the Ten Run.

"We made a commitment to always keep their memories alive,” Sutton reminded the crowd during a timeout.

The race will be held April 21 in Stillwater and will include a 10-kilometer, 5-kilometer and one-mile fun run. Kerry Alexander, the event's founder and chair, said the plan is to hold the event every year on the third Saturday in April.

Alexander attended OSU from 1982-86. He came up with the idea for a memorial run while attending the All-College Classic last year.

"Bill Hancock (whose son Will died in the 2001 plane crash) was there signing his book, and I had read his book and it just floored me,” Alexander said. "It struck me how difficult a loss like that would be, and it kind of clicked to do a 10K for the 10. There was a symmetry there.”

Proceeds from the event will go to Oklahoma State's counseling services, Alexander said.

Alexander said the first thing he did when he was forming the idea for the race was check with the families of the 10 who died. He started with Karen Hancock, the Cowgirls' soccer coach and wife of Will. The families were receptive to the idea, Alexander said.

"This will be something fun, something uplifting,” Alexander said.

The race is a week before the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. For more information on the race, go to www.remembertheten.com.

Also in honor of the anniversary, the brother of one of the broadcasters who died in the crash served as the honorary producer/engineer on the Cowboy Sports Network Broadcast. Nelson Durfey sat at the scorer's table, where his brother, Kendall, used to work. Nelson lives in Stillwater and is a partial owner of Red Dirt Communications. The Cowboys' season-ticket holder said this year's anniversary felt more like a celebration of the lives of those lost.

"I think it's a good thing, it's inspiring,” Nelson said. "It hit me hard today — I mean, I always think of him, but the anniversary of it hits you hardest. But it's inspiring.”