[NR] A day of rememberence

[Miranda of Namron]

The New York Times
September 13, 2001

              OKLAHOMA CITY

              Watching Events Unfold and Recalling a
              Painful Time of Terrorism

              By ROSS MILLOY with TAMAR LEWIN

              OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 12 — For
              many survivors of the 1995 bombing
              of the federal building in Oklahoma City, the
              disaster scenes from Tuesday's hijackings
              were an overwhelming reminder of the
              terrorism that remains a scar on the city's
              psyche.

              "I sit here in the same chair that I sat in six
              years ago and watch the same scenes," said
              Florence Rogers, who was chief executive
              of the Federal Employees Credit Union in
              the bombed building. "I'm watching these
              families who are looking for their loved
              ones, and it makes me think of my kids
              looking for me at the hospital, to see if I was
              alive. This brings it all back, to all of us."

              Others said they watched the coverage with
              horrifying knowledge of what the victims
              would face in the months ahead.

              "It will be a long, long, long journey, filled with
              grief which is extremely hard to deal with,
              tremendous sadness and unbelievable anger,"
              said Patti Hall, who had 40 bones broken in the
              Oklahoma City bombing.

              Hundreds of people, including many survivors, gathered
              today near the site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal
              Building to share their grief and pledge their
              help to the victims.

              Gov. Frank Keating grieved especially for Ray Downey,
              one of the firefighters presumed dead in New York,
              recalling his help in the aftermath of the Oklahoma
              City bombing. Officials of the Oklahoma City National
              Memorial Trust unveiled a full-page advertisement they
              placed in The New York Times today [page B11] reading:
              "You stood with us in our darkest hour.
              Now we stand with you."

              At noon today, hundreds of Oklahomans attended an
              interfaith service at St. Joseph Old Cathedral,
              near where the bombed federal building stood.

              Some Oklahoma City residents found the news from New
              York and Washington too distressing to watch.

              "I was starting to get hives so I had to turn the TV
              off and go outside," said Ginny Moser, who has vivid
              memories of going to the federal building to look for
              her husband, and ending up doing search and rescue
              work in the children's area. "Last time, I was on the
              inside looking out and I felt hopeless.
              This time, I'm on the outside looking in and I feel
              even more hopeless."

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