This week kicks off an important anniversary in the Rio Grande Valley.

A plane crashed into the shrine in San Juan, setting it on fire. The current Basilica stands on the grounds of the former shrine.

This week, 55 years ago, a pilot flew into the pride of the Valley faithful: the Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle. The building caught fire and people inside went running for safety.

As time goes on, fewer people remember the story, but historian Francisco Guajardo does.

"It is a moment where a lot of things converge," Guarjardo said. "This has been central to the life of the people of South Texas, there is no question about this."

Almost everything inside would be destroyed by the fire. The damage totaled over $1 million, leaving the Valley faithful without a proper place to wor

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