TYLER, Texas — Every year, Americans remember September 11, 2001 in their own way.
Each year on the anniversary of the attacks, Dr. Bryan C. Jack Elementary School in Tyler hosts a ‘Patriots Day’ for students, faculty, and guests.
The student choir performs and veterans are honored. However, one of the climax moments of the event is the retelling of the story of the school's namesake.
“During the ceremony, we read a script that describes him and describes how he was a leader and the contributions that he made to Tyler,” Principal Brett Shelby said.
Dr. Bryan Creed Jack graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1970. Among his many high school accomplishments, he was the highest-ranking male in his class and was named the “most outstanding student” in both math and science.
Jack went to have a more than 20-year career working for the Pentagon. For six years, he was the Director of the Programming and Fiscal Economics division. It was said that Jack “crunched the numbers” for the nation’s defense budget.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Jack was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 77. At 9:37 a.m., the plane crashed into the Pentagon. The impact was barely 200 feet from his office.
Though a generation has passed since his death, Dr. Bryan C. Jack continues to be remembered in the community he called home. In 2007, he received the honor of having a new elementary school bear his name.
"We consider ourselves part of patriot nation, which is what we call ourselves. We're patriot nation,” Shelby said. “We feel like that honoring him keeps that legacy on going."
The Jack Elementary 2019 ‘Patriot Day’ will be at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning in front of the school.