Category Archives: Environment

I wrote the day 10 post several times in my head today. The first version materialized on the way to the cemetery this morning. I thought I would have to say we didn’t finish. That the sun was too hot this year, that we were down too many people, that the dirt was too compact and the graves too deep.

By 8am what I saw erased that original thought from my mind. There were no longer Baylor teams and a Uindy team divided into groups and into quadrants. There was one team working seamlessly for a common goal: to finish the last quadrant in this portion of the cemetery. It became apparent that not finishing was no longer an option as everyone was working together.  “Someone take notes on this.” “Where’s a camera? I don’t care what group, just photo-document this.” Each person used their skills and their energy to the fullest. One of the Baylor team members made this awesome sketch to sum up the exhumation efforts today. You see the UIndy members mixed in with the Baylor members all working towards a common goal.

Then I started thinking about how I would phrase the post in terms of the pride of seeing this small grassy patch that contained an unknown number of unidentified individuals being systematically excavated and completed. I was swelling with pride when I sat down to rest in the shade for a moment. Next thing I know Justin was running over and pouring water over my head. Justin and Stevie (Baylor) carried me to the trailer that Lionel (Sheriff’s Department) set up for us every morning. My body had apparently just stopped working. It was painful and scary. But most of all it completely broke my heart that I couldn’t hang on for the last part of the excavation. I couldn’t see what I started through to the end. They moved me to the air conditioned van and I remember opening my eyes and seeing them take the tents down and thinking we were too close to stop. Then the UIndy crew runs up to the van and says “We did it!” I just started crying. I was so happy that we were able to recover everyone that was buried without a name in that area of the cemetery. I was also heartbroken that my body couldn’t hang on another 30 minutes to see it through.

I spent all afternoon resting and am feeling much better now. Since the end of day 10 we were down two team members we decided to take our final photo when we went out for dinner under the Falfurrias Butter sign on the main street. Even though this was the last day in the field there is more to come and we will continue to write about our journey. Next we head to Texas State to visit their laboratory facility. We will be healing and processing our thoughts and continuing to share our thoughts and efforts with you. More soon…

~KEL

If there is one word that I would use to sum up our final day of digging it would be “bittersweet”.  The last two days here in Falfurrias have been arduous.  All of us have given every ounce of energy we have into ensuring the completion of excavations at the site.  I am overjoyed to say that every quadrant of the grid has been completely cleared.  Nothing has been left behind or untouched, but our success did not come without a price.  Yesterday, Ryan worked himself to the point of exhaustion which left him incapacitated for today’s effort (in fact, I am certain that he would have tried to help today if we had not denied him access to the worksite).  Today, Dr. Latham nearly collapsed due to heat and exhaustion.  Even while slightly delirious and overheating, all she could say was “We have to finish. We’re so close.”

We finished, but we certainly did not do it alone.  For the first nine days we were separated into six different groups.  That didn’t happen today.  Today there was one team- one family.  Every single person echoed the same sentiment, “We have to finish.  We are so close”.  I already knew the work ethic that our team brings to the table, but I was amazed at the passion and drive of the Baylor students.  They were thoughtful, compassionate, and genuinely cared about the well-being of every single individual at that site.  I cannot stress enough how wonderful they have all been.  We could not have done it without them.

While we are finished with our field season, the work is only truly just beginning.  The excavations of these unidentified individuals are only the start of a very long process.  The remains must still be cleaned, analyzed, and sampled for isotopes and DNA.  Again, we do not stand alone.  UIndy, Texas State and Baylor will participate in the cleaning and processing.  The schools will also then compile a biological profile for each individual, establishing general characteristics like age, sex, and ancestry.  Samples will be collected and analyzed by California State University (CSU Chico) and the University of North Texas.  With a lot of work, and even more luck we can help these people return to their families.

Even then, this endeavor is far from finished.  While the field season may be over, the problem still remains.  As long as individuals continue to perish in the unforgiving Texas sun and are left without a name, we will persevere.  Until every individual is returned to their family and every loved one has a place to grieve, our job is not finished.  I am astounded by everything we have accomplished in such a short period of time but there is still so much work to do, and for that this ending is bittersweet.

Justin

I’d like to start off by thanking all of you that have been keeping up with our blog on a daily basis. Than I’d like to apologize that the posts have been sparse the past few days. The heat is really getting to my team (and Baylor) and I made the decision to allow them extra time to rest rather than be beholden to the blog posts. There will be more soon when everyone is feeling better.

Last night I took several people to the ER who were feeling sick (and Erica was kind enough to go with me so I would have company). We arrived at 7pm. By 11pm it was becoming apparent that we would not be leaving anytime soon. Patients were throwing up on the floor and coughing so loud that I know I will soon have what was ailing them. Erica and I went to the van and curled up on the seats to try to get some rest. It was hot and uncomfortable but we were able to doze in and out until everyone was ready to go. I arrived in my room at the hotel at 3:18am, laid down in my bed, and my alarm went off at 4am. I am about to enter our last day with literally no sleep.

~KEL

So I will leave you with a sneak peek of the amazing photos by Guy Housewright, so you have something to view for the day. All are University of Indianapolis photos taken by Guy Housewright: