I was 11 years old when he murdered 168 people on April 19, 1995. At the time, my young mind knew the event was horrific, but couldn’t really wrap itself around it.
Oklahoma City National Memorial
Fast forward to yesterday, the 20th anniversary of the tragedy. I’ve found that the internet has given me an enhanced interest in learning more about events that I was alive to experience, but not aware or mature enough to fully grasp. As a result, I took a little time yesterday to learn more about the events of that day and stumbled onto something that filled me with grief and rage more intense than I could ever have imagined.
The picture below is of a firefighter carrying a dying 1-year-old named Baylee Almon from the rubble of the Murrah Federal Building. Baylee, who had celebrated her first birthday the day before, was among the 19 children McVeigh murdered that day.
I have a son who just turned one. When I look at that picture, I see my little boy. Now, any well adjusted person will look at that image and feel terrible grief and anger, but when you have children of your own, it’s amplified to an incredible degree.
After seeing that picture and reading the story, I had to tiptoe into my sons room (he had already gone to bed) and just lay my hand on his head as he slept. I simply cannot comprehend the depravity that causes someone to unleash that kind of horror on so many innocent people...
Sorry for the downer, but I just felt like I had to share.