[Husker] Brook Berringer

[Gary Fead]

Good Morning All (this is kind of long sorry):

On this day the Husker Nation will pause to remember Brook Berringer on the 10th anniversary of his tragic death in a plane crash near Raymond, Nebraska. 

It's interesting how people can recall what they were doing at certain points in their lives. I had driven down to Waverly (from Omaha) to pick up a load of patio furniture that day from a small manufacturing company along Highway 6. It was a warm and breezy day, the kind so common to Nebraska as we transition from winter to spring and summer. 

Upon my return to Omaha I learned of a plane accident near Lincoln and further that someone well known was involved. It wasn't until an hour later that I would receive a call informing me that Brook Berringer had lost his life in the crash that Thursday afternoon. 

At that time KFAB still retained the rights to Husker Football and proceeded to run their "Sports Nightly" talk show from it's normal 6:00 PM start until nearly Midnight with many affiliates staying with them and one radio station (KLOE) in Goodland, Kansas joining them for the first time for the talk show (they had carried several games during Brook's career at Nebraska). 

At this time my kids were 4 and 1, and while I was stunned by the afternoon's occurrences, my wife and I still took the kids on their after supper walk. I just remember being a kind a haze. 

The next few days an eeire quiet hung over Nebraska as people mourned and wondered why? Why did such a young and charismatic kid from Kansas have to leave this life, this way? Those are questions we'll never know the answers to, at least not in this lifetime. 

I decided on Saturday that I would make the trip to Goodland the following Monday (April 22nd) for Brook's funeral. I debated whether to leave on Sunday and return on Monday afterwards or just do it all in one day. I decided to get up early (3:00 AM) on Monday and drive to Goodland. 

It was a long and quiet drive across the state I passed several towns (some I've never been to before or since that day) that morning along the Interstate and Highway 6 traveling to Goodland. While passing through several of those towns I noticed signs mostly hand painted remembering Brook. It was almost as though they knew everyone would take the same route to the western Kansas prairie (of course there aren't that many roads to take to Goodland from Omaha). 

I arrived in Goodland by 8:30 that morning a few hours prior to the funeral service which was to be held in the gymnasium of the high school where Brook played. Since I was early I took a short trip around the town to see the "sights" and also stopped at the football field where Brook played his high school games. A quiet warmth and mist hung over the early morning in Goodland as I walked to the center of the field where a makeshift memorial had been placed. Stones arranged in the number "18" with several floral arrangements were situated at the 50 yard line. 

Knowing there would be a significant crowd at the services I headed over to the field house arriving there about 90 minutes prior to the service. While I was walking along side the building two hearses pulled up containing the caskets of the Brook and Tobey Lake (the brother of Brook's girlfriend). I paused as they were unloaded and placed my hand upon Brook's casket wishing terribly that I didn't need to be there. I really didn't need to be there it was a case of I wanted to be there though, to remember a classy member of our Nebraska football program.

The service was delayed due to the large crowd and the late arrival of the Nebraska football team. This was a double service at the Lake family's request resulting in a longer than normal service as well. It was warm as the air conditioning in the building could not handle the large number of people in the building at the time. Once the services were over the funeral procession wound it's way to the north side of Goodland passing the airport to the Goodland Cemetery where Brook would be laid to rest next to his father Warren Berringer. 

A flyover was performed at the graveside services and the events of the day finally wound down by around 4:00 PM. I (as well as the Nebraska football team bus) left Goodland immediately after the graveside services. After a few stops along the way and the long ride back to Omaha I finally arrived home at 11:00 PM.  

Today's Omaha World Herald contains two articles remembering Brook Berringer. You will need to register or use a "Bugmenot"  password to read the articles.  


First Link (General News section): http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2153073


Second Link (Tom Shatel's column): http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2153082



Gary Fead
Omaha