Oklahoma City - A Time of Remembrance (OK)

Twenty years ago on April 19, 1995 at 9:00 am I was teaching a math class at Owasso High School just north of Tulsa, OK.  Second hour started in the usual way with roll and our starter activity.  It was around 9:20 am that we received news of the tragedy in OKC, just 100 miles from us, and in the heart of our capital city.  Upon hearing the news we were overcome with sadness.  We cried and felt fear mounting deep within us.  News trickled into our classrooms at the High School in bits and pieces.  One thing was clear:  Oklahoma City had been attacked.  At that time we did not know who did it, or how many were involved. What we did know was that the terrorist attack was devastating and that the death toll would be tremendous.

Oklahomans are a strong and courageous group of people.  We love our state and we love our country.  We are also a group of people not afraid to pray in public or put our arms around someone hurting and offer prayers for them.  On this day Oklahomans were hurting and the beautiful country in which we lived reached out to us, put their arms around us, and covered us in prayer.  Our nation wept alongside of us.

At 9:00 am across the street from the Murrah Federal Building the Oklahoma Water Resources Board had started a meeting and was in the process of recording the proceedings of that meeting.  It was 9:02 am when the truck filled with chemicals exploded in front of the Murrah Building in downtown Oklahoma City killing 168, 19 of whom were children.  Glass was blown out of windows of nearby buildings and foundations shook with the explosion.  This was the worst incident of domestic terrorism America had ever experienced.

At 9:13 am the first images were broadcast to the world.  Massive rescue attempts were conducted. More than 600 are said to have survived the bombing.  People from all walks of life came together to do what they could to help.   People from across our country came to Oklahoma to assist with rescue, clean up, and restoration.

Immediately, temporary memorials started appearing.  In time there would be a permanent memorial.  It was decided that the OKC Memorial would be a place of healing and peace.  In 2001 Chris was transferred to the OKC area.  He worked within blocks of the Memorial for 11 years and we have visited the outdoor Memorial several times over the years.    Each visit to this site is very special for us.  Last fall we visited the site with family from Texas and we went through the museum as well.  The museum, which is thorough and tastefully assembled, offers a chronological walk-through of the day's events, in particular visitors may listen to the tape of the proceedings of the Water Resources Board up to the time of the explosion.  At that time we become participants rather than observers.  It is quite moving.

Across the street from the Memorial

This is the And Jesus Wept statue erected by St. Joseph Catholic Church.  It is across the street from the 9:03 gate.   When gazing at this statue my heart broke.

           

Gates of Time - 9:01

These two gates frame the moment of destruction and are the formal entrances to the memorial.  On one wall is the time 9:01 which represents the innocence of the city before the attack.  The other wall has the time 9:03, representing the moment we were changed forever.  Between the two gates is a reflecting pool of gently flowing water symbolizing the healing of wounds and a place of reflection.

 

Gates of Time - 9:03

Field of Empty Chairs

Below is the Field of Empty Chairs.  There are 168 chairs representing the lives lost.  The smaller chairs represent the children.  The chairs are arranged in 9 rows representing the nine floors of the building and are placed according to the floor on which they were working or visiting.  Each chair is on a glass base and has the name of the victim etched upon it.


Oklahomans, with the help of people from around the country and around the world, came together during this time with a determination to heal.  One day at a time was all they could do for quite some time.  Healing is a slow process.  It has been 20 years since 168 Oklahomans lost their lives here.  For survivors and for those who lost loved ones, healing is ongoing.  The OKC National Memorial is a beautiful tribute and place of solace. Anyone who visits this site will be touched in a special way as we remember, as we reflect, and as we heal.