Memories of a Marshall Classmate ... Part I

    I came across November Ever After on Amazon by chance and knew instantly that I had to read it. It was great to finally read an account of the plane crash from someone who experienced the horror of the crash and the aftermath of dealing with such a tragedy by those who were left behind. 

   Craig, your book brought back so many memories for me. I was born and raised in Huntington, West Virginia and graduated from Huntington East High School in '68. I attended Marshall University and in the spring of '70, I met and started dating Kevin Gilmore (running back/tight end/defensive back). 

    I think Kevin was one of those who also had a  premonition about the crash. He had been ill the week of the crash and had lost quite a few pounds. Before he left he looked at me and said "I don't even want to go."  I can remember being so shocked by his words because his life revolved around his love of playing football.  
    I remember going to see him before he boarded the team bus headed to the airport. We looked around and saw "The Gov," (defensive lineman Larry Brown) standing there. And of course he looked like he had just come from a photo shoot for a men's fashion magazine. 

    We commented about how nice he looked and he said something to the effect -- "take a good look because you will never see me again." His haunting words have stuck with me all these many years. 

-Kathy Dial  

Coming Thursday ..... Memories of a Marshall Classmate -- Part II