Today is the 25th anniversary of the OKC Murrah Building Bombing by Timothy McVeigh. 168 People killed.

Just a reminder due to all the other things in the news and our lives at this time.
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McVeigh initially considered targeting the Federal building in Fayetteville, Arkansas. But at the time, both the Fayetteville Police Department and Washington County Sheriff's Office were located within a block of the Federal building, and after scoping it out, he decided the law enforcement presence was too high. He eventually found what he considered to be a more suitable target in Oklahoma City.

Immediately after the bombing, before they closed up the site for demolition, they allowed one representative of the VA to go into their office to recover any files that were active and noteworthy. He brought out two Disabled Veterans Home loan applications. One was my Dad's.

Without that paper file, I was told that my Dad would have had to completely start all over from scratch. The VA finished the application and a couple months later my Dad's new house was started.

That VA Representative is one of my Hero's, and I don't even know his name.

I am sure you have seen pictures of the building after the blast. His office was on one of the upper floors. To put yourself in that much danger just to grab a manila folder, is beyond understanding.

My Dad is gone now, since 2008, and someone else owns the house. But, I never thought that I would have such a connection to that building or the events that happened there.

I visited the site in mid-Feb, a snowy day and everything was closed down, but I was able to walk through the memorial.

There was no one else around, making it very quiet. Heartbreaking for the lives lost that day.

I had a friend, an FDNY firefighter, who went to help with rescue/recovery.

He died in the towers on 9/11.

I lost some federal LE agent friends that day.

Walking through the time gates is a chilling thought. The memorial is laid out so well to commemorate each victim and provide peace.

Each time I have been there I leave teary eyed for all that we lost that day.