On Wednesday September 18th, Hester Residential College celebrated Phoenix day in remembrance of the tragic fire that took place 26 years ago that claimed the life of one student and injured many others. Phoenix day is observed in honor of Michael Minger (the student that died in the fire) and to make students aware of the events that took place that night.
Greg Molinar, the Murray city Fire Marshal, came to speak to students about the importance of fire safety and how to prevent fires not only in the residence halls but also at home. He was joined by Ken Reynolds, the former Assistant Chief of the Murray Fire Department, who spoke about the events of the fire from the eyes of one of the initial first responders. Ron Cella, who was the college head at the time of the fire, talked to the students about how Hester was able to rise from the ashes by continuing with programs for the Hester students. Dr. Cella also talked about how the community and the university came to the aid of the students, with the university booking available hotels for those displaced, and members of the community opening their homes to provide housing for students in need.
Despite all odds, with the help of the Murray community, Hester was able to rise from the ashes of the fire like a phoenix, and through adversity grew stronger.
