How awful for them to have gone through all of that and come out with nothing! Glad you passed and it certainly does bring it home to you that it was by no means a foregone conclusion and the achievement was indeed a fantastic one x
Of the 3 who failed only one was going for black. They are toughening up, in all my gradings I have never seen anyone fail and then 3 in one go! Some people just don't put in the effort and expect to get their next belt for just turning up!
Oooh and in other news, I ALWAYS gain weight after grading weekends and I got on this morning and I am only 2lb up still with 3 days to go! This could be the first time I don't gain weight on a WI after grading!