Victims' Family, Friends Reflect On 20-Year Anniversary Of Deadly OSU Plane Crash

Wednesday marked 20 years since a plane crash took the lives of 10 members of the Oklahoma State University family.  

The group of students, staff and broadcasters were on their way home after a game in Colorado.  

Twenty years ago, a quiet, snowy prairie in Colorado became a tragic scene where a plane bound for Oklahoma, crashed.  

"I almost cannot wrap my mind around the fact that it's been that long,” Chad Weiberg said in a video released Wednesday on Twitter by the OSU Cowboy Basketball account.  

Weiberg's brother, Jared, was only 22 years old when he died.  

This anniversary is "rougher," said Mike Noteware, but is an important time to reflect. The former Sports Information Director for the OSU women’s basketball team said he has been reading stories that highlight the victims' legacies.  

"Every time I start reading one, I start tearing up again, but it's not tears of sadness. I just love remembering those guys. I knew four of them really well,” Noteware said.  

News On 6 Sports Director John Holcomb lost friend and mentor Bill Teegins on January 27, 2001.  

"He's probably the main reason why I ended up at channel six,” Holcomb said.  

Teegins worked at KOTV before going to KWTV, News On 6's sister station in Oklahoma City. 

Known as the play-by-play voice of OSU football and basketball, Holcomb called Teegins a "tremendous sportscaster," and still holds on to his advice. 

"When I think about Bill, what I think about how good he was, how dedicated he was to his craft, but also, how he didn't take himself so seriously," Holcomb said. "And I've tried to always keep that with me as a reminder." 

For the 20th anniversary flowers were placed at the memorial dedicated to the victims, as the OSU family “remembers the ten.” 

"Right now, the kids that are in school weren't even born then, but I want them to always be able to remember those guys,” Noteware said.  

Remembering each life is a commitment the university made years ago, along with every person whose life was touched by those lost.  

"It was a tremendous loss, but the memories are what live on, and if you choose to, you can make some really good things out of those memories,” Holcomb said.  

The university said the memorial in the southwest lobby of Gallagher-Iba Arena will be open most of the week for those who would like to pay their respects or leave a memento. 

There will be a moment of remembrance before the game Wednesday and OSU's library bell will ring 10 times at 6:37 p.m., the time of the crash. 

OSU said Saturday's Cowboy basketball game against Arkansas will serve as this year's Remember The Ten game. 

The Cowboy family will honor those lost in the tragedy, recognize family members and announce scholarship recipients, but the Memorial Lobby will be closed to visitors that day. 

 You can find more information about how OSU is recognizing the anniversary here.