Grade teacher and watching and the confusion, then reality of what we had just witnessed. I remember, our principle giving a very emotional speech on the intercom when we went inside.

It was horrifying to me.

We were living in Oregon, waiting for the moving van to show up. Had the TV on and as soon as I saw it, I knew they were gone. I worried, though, how long any of them lived after the initial explosion.

Three nights before it happened, I had a nightmare in which the Challenger exploded and crashed to earth. I sat up in the bed in a cold sweat and so shaken that it awakened my wife also. I told her about the dream and went back to sleep after a while.
Three days later the horrible disaster happened exactly how I saw it in my dream. I have no idea why or how, only that I was absolutely stunned when I saw my dream re-enacted on television and the sorrow that followed.
It still bothers me greatly to think about the event.

still too raw for me . good that her lessons get to be taught.

I was in a meeting downtown in the old Tenneco building. A buddy of mine, who knew I had worked on Shuttle, came in and told me that the Challenger was destroyed. I felt as if somebody had punched me. I had left the program more than two years before then, but my first thought was to wonder if I had done something wrong. Was it my fault? Did I screw up? It didn't matter that I worked on reentry and the failure occurred during ascent. I still felt connected. I still felt as if, somehow, I was responsible.

On the way home, traveling south on interstate 45, towards League City, all I could see was American flags at half mast on both sides of the freeway. Mile upon mile of flags at half mast, from the fanciest business complexes to the grubbiest garages, all of Houston was in mourning.

As I write this, I look up above my monitor and see a poster hanging on the wall. It is the Challenger on it's maiden flight; the external tank painted white like a bride's gown. On the bottom right hand corner a simple caption reads, congratulations, America.

Sure, I remember that day...

as if it was yesterday.


https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016145547#post3

I don't remember where she was cut from the process, but even that was impressive and made her a local celebrity in this very rural area of So. IL.

After the explosion I remember that she lost that sparkle in her eye and that zest for teaching. She tried not to let it effect her, but I'm sure it was hard.

Remembering two great ladies.