What major historical events do you remember?

Two major historical events come to mind, both tragic in nature – the Challenger exploding and 9/11.

I was in 3rd Grade when the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded. I don’t remember if my class was watching the launch live, but I was glued to the TV all week, thirsty for any information on why the explosion had occurred. Christa McAuliffe was a school teacher on board. My 3rd Grade teacher was a sweet, caring woman. I remember feeling so confused and sad. While I didn’t know Christa McAuliffe personally, as a kid I looked up to her. Her death was tragic and difficult to process, not to mention my first experience with someone passing.

A few weeks later, while visiting my grandparents, the adults brought up the Challenger explosion. My grandpa, with an uncommonly sincere look on his face asked, “Did you hear they recovered the teacher’s eye?” I tried to speak but couldn’t get the words out. I quickly shook my head. He continued, “do you know how they knew it was the teacher’s eye?” Again, I shook my head ‘no’. “Because she was the only one onboard with blue eyes.”

Inappropriate comments run generation’s deep in my family.

9/11. Sigh. The first <inappropriate> reaction I had was joking with a coworker, “some jackass just ran an airplane into the Trade Center”. It was instantly sobering when the second plane hit.

Over the course of the next few weeks, I remember feeling every raw emotion possible. I was angry; how dare they do this to our country. I was heartbroken at the enormous number of lives lost. I was uncertain. Were we going to war? What will happen next? I felt an immense amount of pride; in the days that followed September 11th, we were no longer white, black, brown, Muslim American, African American, Asian American… we were just… Americans. We took care of each other. We comforted each other. We had each other’s backs and we were ready to fight for what was ours. Finally, I remember feeling eager to retaliate.

At the time, I was an aircraft mechanic in the military. My squadron spent every waking moment putting airplanes back together to get them air-worthy. We accomplished in hours and days what normally took weeks and months. All of the exercises and inspections and drills performed in anticipation of what may happen, were being put to use. I was ready and determined to put my life on the line in defense of our country.

To this day, I still tear up thinking about these two events. I’m sure there were other noteworthy historical events to occur over the course of my life, but I was either too self-absorbed or drunk to place significance on them.