25 Years Later

[jennythereader]

Today is the 25th anniversary of the Challenger explosion.

This remembrance from a teacher and this story from the brother of one of the astronauts who died both made me tear up on the way to work this morning.

We also just passed the anniversary of the Apollo 1 disaster, and are coming up on the anniversary of the Columbia disaster.

If you have an opportunity today, raise a glass (possibly one full of this stuff) in memory of all those who died trying to give us the universe. Let's not make their and their families' sacrifices in vain.

Comments

[inaurolillium.livejournal.com]

I was watching it that day. Not on TV, standing outside in the schoolyard, watching it with my naked eye. We were only 45 minutes from the Cape, they always stopped school and took us all outside to watch until it was out of sight.

In my memories, the plume looked wrong, although I know we couldn't actually have seen anything.

We were back inside and just starting to get back to out seats, and the principal came on the intercom and told us what happened. I think we all cried. Everybody knew somebody who worked at the Cape. My grandfather had worked there, my father was there on a regular basis. One of my cousins was a fully rated astronaut, just waiting for her first ride.

I don't really remember the rest of the day, but I don't think we got anything done.

I don't keep track of the anniversary. Even today, it hurts too much. I saw your post, lying in bed and trying to get back to sleep, and just broke down crying. But I wanted to share.

[nounsandverbs]

I still remember exactly where I was. Someone ran into my 6th-grade classroom to tell us.

[jennythe-reader.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry I made you cry. Thank you for sharing anyway.

I was in second grade, and watched on TV with the rest of my class. I don't actually remember it that clearly, but I can still close my eyes and picture the smoke trail against the sky.

[inaurolillium.livejournal.com]

Don't be sorry. I always cry. Thank you for marking the day.

[jennythe-reader.livejournal.com]

My school didn't have enough TV's for each room to get one, so we were crowded in with the other 2nd grade class and I think the 3rd graders in one room. This whole mess of little kids trying to watch on one ordinary TV. I don't think any of us really understood what was happening, even before things went wrong.

[jennythe-reader.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.