This year marks the 25th anniversary of the tragic loss of 10 members of the Cowboy basketball team in a plane crash outside Denver, Colorado. Jan. 27, 2001, is a date the Cowboy family holds in reverence as we continue to honor the memory of those lost.

OSU alumnus and New York Times front-page editor Josh Crutchmer remembers when he heard of the tragedy, the emotional reactions on campus and how — as a 22-year-old aspiring journalist — he led the O’Colly newsroom through the aftermath and the lessons he’s carried with him.

Click here for the entire Behind the Headlines with Josh Crutchmer interview.