OKC Bombing

[Deb in IA]

I remember it vividly too.

I was 8 months pregnant at the time, and seeing the youngest victims of the daycare in the Murrah building was so heartbreaking . . .

 

[Planogirl]

I wish that everyone who could would visit the amazing memorial in Oklahoma City. DS and I went years ago and it was eye-opening particularly for DS. I only hope that the NYC memorial is even half as brilliant and touching.

 

[sunnyday123]

I don't know how anyone could forget this. I remember the little girl who was carried out by the fireman-the picture was every where, and I believe her name was Bailey. It broke my heart.

 

[Danibelle]

I will never forget that day as long as I live. I couldn't believe something like that could happen in my home state, to my fellow Oklahomans, my neighbors. But, as horrific and heartbreaking as the event was, it was also a shining example of how the people of this state come together and help each other in a crisis. I remember the doubt expressed by some members of the national media that we had the capability to handle such a tragedy...they soon realized they were seriously mistaken. Others recognized the strength and resiliency of the people here; Tom Brokaw said, "Oklahomans may feel more vulnerable now, a little disoriented by what's happened to them, but in their response to this madness, they have elevated us all with their essential sense of goodness, community, and compassion."

At 9:02 CDT this morning, stop and remember.

Thanks for your beautiful tribute. I was raised in OKC and had family still living close by on that fateful day. I did know several of the survivors. My priest in Phoenix was one of the chaplains who went to OKC to counsel the emergency providers.

 

[rascalmom]

I won't ever forget - I lived and still live in the OKC area and most everyone I know was touched in some way by this tragedy. One of dh's favorite dental school professors was killed that day, Dr. Hurlbert. He was visiting the SSA to take care of things from his recent retirement. We were in the process of closing on our house - our loan officer's mother was killed. One of the teachers at my dd's elementary school lost her husband.

I was dropping off my dd at kindergarten - we live in a suburb north of OKC....12.5 miles from the bombing site. My car shook to the extent that I almost ran after dd, thinking it might be a gas explosion in the school. I had the radio & there were immediate reports of the dark plumes of smoke coming from downtown.

I spent most of the rest of the morning comforting my neighbor - her husband is FBI and was a first responder & spent weeks on the site helping with investigations. I spent the rest of the day waiting in line to donate blood.

So, no, I won't ever forget. Oklahoman's have a lot of strength and spirit - I am proud to live here, but we all share this common heartbreak.

 

[tchrrx]

I was a senior in high school & we were on a trip to Lawton. I was at the Lawton courthouse when the bombing happened. Although we heard some about it, it wasn't until we were back at school that afternoon that we really knew what happened. Here is one of my favorite patriotic songs and videos. It plays tribute to OKC bombing, Oklahoma May 3 tornadoes, and 9/11.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyiPuzWx-T0


to all of my fellow Oklahomans today.

 

[Stitchfans]

When my oldest DD was living in OKC (just moved back to IL this past Aug) I went out to visit her. We went to the memorial. Many years later you can still feel the impact of what had happened there. The fence with all the memorabilia, the surviving tree, the chairs with the names of the victims on them, so on. I have no words to describe what I was feeling when I walked around and saw all of this. I just had a large lump in my throat and in respect all those around us were silently walking about.

No, it should never be forgotten.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I wish that everyone who could would visit the amazing memorial in Oklahoma City. DS and I went years ago and it was eye-opening particularly for DS. I only hope that the NYC memorial is even half as brilliant and touching.

I had the opportunity to visit it about 3 years ago. It is a wonderful, tranquil memorial. If you ever get the chance, I highly reccomend visiting it. Really one of the best memorials I've ever visited.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

I actually didn't know about it for over a week. My DD16 was born on April 18 (5 weeks premature)and was shipped right off to the children's hospital about 45 min away. She must have come out blue, because it was immediate. I didn't even get to see or hold her. No one would tell me what was wrong. She stayed in the children's hospital for 7 days in the NICU trying to keep her alive. So we spent day and night up there. It wasn't until we got home, 7 days later, that we heard about the OKC bombing. We were so involved with Hannah, we had no chance or desire to read a paper or watch the news.

 

[rie'smom]

Prayers for those who died, the survivors, and their loved ones.