"We come here to remember those who were killed,
those who survived and those changed forever."

On April 19, 1995 9:02 a.m.the innocence of the Heartland was violently shaken. Something like this doesn't happen here! Maybe somewhere like New York City, or Los Angeles. Shock set in right away. Seeing it on the local news, the seriousness didn't hit until the national news came on. I remember getting out in traffic that day. There was a strange erie feeling on the streets.I don't live in OKlahoma City, but the next largest city in the State. We were also on the "list" as second choice.

Many people from all over the state lost someone, or knew someone that lost someone. A doctor of mine lost a dear friend. Another friend was a Red Cross Nurse that went to help in the morgue. The many courageous rescue workers, spent countless hours in unbelievable places, who are still haunted by what they saw. Many of my friends worked on the stained glass windows from St. Joseph's Old Cathedral. What happened that day touched countless lives. And survivors that were in the building that day, a few just couldn't live with the trauma that haunted them. And have since taken their own lives.

Fathers and Mothers lost children. Children lost fathers and mothers. Brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, and so on. So many of those killed were in their 30's and 40's, the prime of their lives.

Oklahoma lost it's innocence that day. In a blink of an eye our world changed.

The Horror

This building was across the street from the front of the Murrah P. Federal Building. It was only 3 stories high. Trust me, a photo or a picture on the TV doesn't have EVEN BEGIN to show the impact of seeing something like this. The Murrah P. Federal Building was over twice the height of this building!!

 

The Fence

The Fence that was set up around the bombing site became a spontaneous memorial. As people came to see, they felt compelled to leave personal items. Each time I visited I was always amazed at all the items left. And from so many places, from all around the world. That is when it really hit, that the world had been watching us. At how small this world has become. And that the compassion of the world overpowered the violence of a few.

A feeling of respectful quiet has existed here. No matter what time of day, or what day of the week, or how many people are there at the time. Everyone is speaking in soft low voice. Reading all the poems, messages and looking at all many different items. From license plates, service metals, toys, bears, and photos. If you look in the photo you will see in the middle a purple page. This is the poem I wrote and left on the fence. So many lives where shattered. As a stained glass artist I felt it was my responsibility to the history of the glass for it to be remembered as well.

POEM

The Survivor Tree

The oak tree, that stood across from the Murrah P. Federal building that was still standing after the bombing. It has continued to stand tall and has once again flourish. Before the bombing it was just an oak standing next to a building. It has now become a very famous tree which stands for survival, hope, and healing.

 

 The Words

If you stood in front of the Murrah Building and looked across the street that is where the "Survivor Tree" stands. The building behind the tree has those words painted on it. I took this photo over 2 years after it was put there. It really shows the intensity the Rescue Teams must have experienced.
 

A View of 5th Street

This photo is looking to the east on 5th street. On the left you can see the St. Joseph Old Cathedral, where the stained glass windows are that my friends restored. The fence that went all the way across the width of the Murrah Building, and then on both sides.On the right side is the apartment building that had most of it's windows blown out, to the right of it is the building seen in the first photo, comparatively it looks so small here.

 

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The National Memorial