The Oklahoma Standard

In my last blog, I talk about our visit to Oklahoma City on the weekend of July 21, 2012.  We had such a great time!  On our drive back to Dallas, we visited the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, which is a tribute to those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever in the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred Murrah Building. We got there and parked, and as we walked up towards the Memorial, we came upon a chain link fence that contains artifacts left by all of the people who visit in memory of that sad day back on April 19, 1995.

Here is one of the first things I saw on the fence:

In Memory of  Blake Kennedy, 1-1/2 Years Old

This fence was the first fence to be installed to protect the site of the Murrah Building.  Tens of thousands of people have left remembrances of the victims on this fence.  It was really sad to see this, but there was a whole lot more to come.  This one really bothered me too:

Another Innocent Victim

We ventured further into the Memorial to find the "Gates of Time".  These monumental gates frame the moment of destruction, which was 9:02 AM.  The East Gate represents 9:01 am on April 19, and the innocence of the city before the attack.  The West Gate represents 9:03 am, which is the moment right after the attack. There is a Reflecting Pool in between the gates which occupies what was once NW Fifth Street.  This is a shallow pool of gently flowing water which provides a peaceful setting for meditation.
 

The 9:01 Gate - Signifying the Moment before the Blast

The Reflecting Pool

The 9:03 Gate - Signifying the Moment

We then looked to the right to see the Field of Empty Chairs, which contains 168 chairs that represent the 168 lifes lost on that day, with smaller chairs representing the 19 children killed.  It is situated on what was the footprint of where the Alfred Murrah Building once stood. The chairs are arranged in nine rows, with each row representing the nine floors of the building and placed according to which floor on which each person died.  The name of each victim is etched onto each chair and the glass bases light up at night, kind of like their souls shining from within.  This is such a forlorn sight, especially the smaller chairs that represent the children!  Many people visiting there just stood and wept openly, including a few members of our party.  I just felt so empty inside looking at these chairs . . .

After gazing solemnly over the Field of Empty Chairs, we went back to the Survivor Wall, which is on the east end of the Memorial.  These are the only remaining walls from the Murrah Building.  There are 600 names of survivors inscribed here on pieces of granite that came from the Murrah Building Lobby.

The Survivor Wall

A Jagged Portion of the Survivor Wall

 

Plaques with Names of Survivors

After looking at the Survivor Wall, we headed into the Museum.  On the way into the Museum was the Children's Area.

Tiles in the Children's Area

This is a wall of hand painted tiles that were sent to Oklahoma City by children to express how much they cared. 

We entered the Museum and saw this inscription on the wall:

Marble Inscription at Museum Entrance

After entering the Museum, I saw this picture. It is of the America's Kids Day Care children and workers posing for this photo as part of their Easter egg hunt and party on April 14, 1995, five days before the bombing!  Most of these children in the picture died in the bombing!  I found this to be immensely disturbing!

The America's Kids Day Care Center

Here is another really disturbing picture of Tim McVeigh pulling up to the building at 8:56 am in the Ryder truck that contained the bomb that blew up the building.

Video of the Ryder Truck Driving Up to the Building

Another item in the Museum that made me sick was a shoe that was recovered from the Murrah Building that belonged to Ashley Eckles, a child that was killed in the bombing.

Ashley Eckles'  Shoe

This is a stuffed toy that was found in the Murrah Building rubble.  It is unidentified, but is presumed to have been in the Day Care Center.  It looks so sad and lonely!

Stuffed Toy Found in the Rubble

The last part of the Museum contains the Gallery of Honor which honors the lives of the 168 who were killed. In this beautiful room, the victims' families display personal photographs and artifacts of their loved ones.  Interactive computers provide their personal stories.  All of these pictures are really touching, but this picture of an adorable little black boy in a black cowboy hat just reached out and grabbed my heart!

Three Little Angels

After looking through the Gallery of Honor, we signed the guestbook and then headed outside.  I headed towards the Field of Empty Chairs to find the one that belongs to Baylee Almon.  Baylee is the child in the arms of a firefighter in what was one of the most famous pictures of that fateful day:

Oklahoma City Fire Capt. Chris Fields holding Baylee Almon

Here is a picture of Baylee's little chair in the Field of Empty Chairs:

Baylee Almon's Chair

After seeing Baylee's chair, we headed out towards the car.  Here is a picture that I took of a beautiful memorial at a Catholic church across the street:  

"Jesus Wept"

The statue of Jesus was inscribed with "Jesus Wept". 

The sadness of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum is overwhelming.  But the significance of it all is how evil was overcome by love.  In the chaos after the bomb went off, the people of Oklahoma dropped everything to help the victims in any way that they could.  This is what is known today as "The Oklahoma Standard".