David Brown's parents receive student banner
By Erin Golden
The Flat Hat
Two banners bearing messages of support and sympathy from approximately 1,000 members of the College community were delivered to the parents of late Columbia astronaut and College alumnus David Brown, '78, March 14.
The banner project was created and led by sophomores Dan FitzHenry and George Srour. According to Srour, the idea for the banners came about as he watched coverage of the Feb. 1 shuttle tragedy. Srour said that he was struck by how well Brown's parents seemed to cope with such a tragic event.
"I saw a great resilience and peace in [Paul and Dorothy Brown]," Srour said. "They knew that their son had died doing something that he loved."
The idea was brought to Vice President for Student Affairs Sam Sadler the Monday following the space shuttle incident. Sadler gave the project his approval and the two 3-foot-by-10-foot banners were made available for students and staff to sign and add their own messages to during the five days before the Feb. 12 campus memorial service for Brown.
According to Sadler, the banners were a fitting tribute to Brown and a reflection of the College's sense of community.
"I think [the banner project] speaks to the strength of the community we have here," Sadler said. "Many students felt a bond with Dave, not only because he was a graduate, but because he was here to speak at Opening Convocation this fall."
Initially, the project's organizers planned to mail the banner to Paul and Dorothy Brown, but eventually the idea evolved into flying the banner to the Browns from the Williamsburg/James City County Airport, where David Brown had learned to fly during his senior year at the College.
Williamsburg pilot Al Albright was contacted about donating his time and the use of his aircraft to fly the banners. Albright and his co-pilot for the flight, Hyde Perce, were approached because of a reputation they had gained for piloting "Angel Flights," on which people in need of medical care are transported. Such care is otherwise unavailable in the area, according to Albright.
Originally, Albright said that he and Perce had not planned to be involved in the actual presentation of the banner, but Dorothy Brown insisted that all of those involved join them at their residence.
"[The Brown family] has had so many expressions of condolences and sympathy from around the world that they are pretty much numb to any more, but when they saw [the banners], it was a very moving moment Š a once in a lifetime experience," Albright said.
Srour found the experience equally affecting.
"When we began to unravel the banner, Judge Brown began to cry ... [the Browns] wanted to make sure that we knew that they would read all of the messages on it," Srour said. "It was a humbling experience."
|