Where were you?

April 19th, 1995 will forever be etched in the memories of millions who watched in horror.  It’s one of those moments in time where you will never forget where you were and what you were doing at the exact moment of hearing the news.  As I sit and watch the National Memorial television coverage today, all of the emotions from that day are instantly brought to the surface.

This isn’t suppose to happen here… and especially at the hands of one of our own.  It’s hard to even imagine that such evil exists.. but sadly it does.

I was sitting in Mr. Brown’s American History class, my Junior year of high school when a friend walking in with tears in her eyes telling us what had happened. Immediately televisions were rolled in to classrooms as we all sat silently watching in disbelief.  The rest of the day seems like a blur… but for me, that moment is one that I will never forget.

The following day.. my Mom, a friend of mine, and I went and volunteered for the Red Cross to help out in any way we could. I remember working in the make-shift supply building that they had set up to organize all of the supplies and donations that were pouring in.  It’s one thing to see it on television…. but it was a very different, chilling experience to see the mangled building live and in person.   I can still see the exhausted search and rescue workers covered in dust and debris… how brave each and every one were.. they are truly heroes.

It was an experience that changed me in a way that is really hard to describe…. it’s one of those times that you feel helpless, but also have the strong need to do something…. how ever small or insignificant it may seem at the time. Just something.  The most vivid memory for me that day wasn’t the sight of the destroyed building, believe it or not… it was when a fireman came to us and asked for all of the large black trash bags that we could find because they had run out of body bags.

It’s true what they say… “What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.”  Oklahoma was forever changed that day… 168 lives lost. Mothers, Fathers, Husbands, Wives, Sons, Daughters, Sisters, Brothers, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Friends… and all of those precious babies. God bless each and every one of you who lost loved ones, and God bless the search and rescue teams and volunteers.. the heroes from that day, and the many that followed…those who walked on 2 legs and the ones who walked on 4.

Never forget.