Has it really been 25 years since this happened? I remember it so vividly. When I worked for Barnett Banks, officers of the bank were required to participate in two community service areas each year. I served on the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and taught a Project Business class for Junior Achievement one day a week at a local junior high school.
I was on my way back from teaching and had the radio on. The announcer was talking about the liftoff and just at that moment I arrived at a beautiful lake at a college campus near my office. I pulled over, as did many others, to watch it go up. When it exploded, everyone was stunned. I jumped in the car and turned on the radio to hear what exactly we had all just witnessed.
When I arrived back at work I went straight to our cafeteria where a large television was turned to the news. The room was packed out and amazingly, VERY quiet. What a sad day for our country. Even though we didn't know the astronauts, they were Americans who represented us and by flying in the shuttle, were bravely doing so for our country. Just like our military. Technically, most of the were military, except for the high school teacher who was also on board that particular shuttle.
Like the day President Kennedy was assassinated or 9/11, January 28, 1986 was a day that I, and most other Americans, will not forget.
No comments:
Post a Comment