25 Years Later: Do You remember?

[mattola]

were you alive the day it happened?
were you old enough to grasp the tragedy?
if you were not, did someone explain it to you later? did you even know about it until this post?

Remembering Challenger

I remember. I was in school watching on the library TV with my class. I couldnt grasp the size of it at the time as I was just a silly teenager absorbed in my own life and was watching the shuttle go up to space. I knew something wasnt right and the gasp of my teacher pretty much told me it was time to focus and comprehend that that wasnt right. The News right now is pretty Nasa and USA focused for this however I was in Canada and am still in Canada and I remember and always will.

 

[SLY]

Was not alive, but well aware of the tragedy. Really sucks when something that seems so small can cause such a disaster.

 

[mattola]

Was not alive, but well aware of the tragedy. Really sucks when something that seems so small can cause such a disaster.

Im curious Jeff - when did you find out? did your parents tell you? did you learn it in school? if it was in school how did they present it? I hope you dont mind me asking?

 

[Eddie_Shack]

I was three years old, so I don't really remember it. As far as "remember where you were when you heard" events go in my lifetime, I have 9/11 obviously and the Oklahoma City bombing. It was something we did learn about a little in school, but just a little before my time. I remember our teacher talking about it in first or second grade, it seemed to have hit her a little harder than most because there was a teacher on board, if I remember correctly.

 

[Automattic]

The fact that the astronauts were from all walks of life touched everybody. Teachers took it really hard.


(Some posters make me feel old. Good looking. But old...)

 

[SLY]

Im curious Jeff - when did you find out? did your parents tell you? did you learn it in school? if it was in school how did they present it? I hope you dont mind me asking?

The fact that the astronauts were from all walks of life touched everybody. Teachers took it really hard.


(Some posters make me feel old. Good looking. But old...)

No, not at all. I had a fascination with space and astronomy when I was younger, so I always was looking at books and magazines pertaining to space ships and planets. It was covered in many books and magazines I had looked through. But, in detail, I learned about it in school. Not exactly sure how it came out, but it was in elementary school. We revisited the subject in middle school I believe in a modern history class. Then in H.S. I took an astronomy class, and we briefly covered the subject. Like Matt said, the fact that they came from all walks of life was very saddening. I mean any lives lost is saddening, but the fact that this was suppsed to be a special moment in our history and the lives of the people on board just made it that more tragic.

And Matt, lol.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

My boss and I took an early lunch that day so we could watch it on TV. We went to a restaurant and Bar down the street that had great home made lunches.

We were just shooting the breeze as we watched and when it exploded the place went silent. We looked at each other and he said something like, Umm...What the hell happened? I said "I have no fucking idea but it's not good". Like the guy in the article said it was like a shocking thing to see. May the crew RIP.

As far as being old enough to remember, I remember the first man on the moon.

 

[beantownmaniac]

My boss and I took an early lunch that day so we could watch it on TV. We went to a restaurant and Bar down the street that had great home made lunches.

We were just shooting the breeze as we watched and when it exploded the place went silent. We looked at each other and he said something like, Umm...What the hell happened? I said "I have no fucking idea but it's not good". Like the guy in the article said it was like a shocking thing to see. May the crew RIP.

As far as being old enough to remember, I remember the first man on the moon.

First man on the moon? I thought you said you witnessed Kittyhawk?

 

[Ho_Brah]

I was freshman in High School at the time. I remember it very well. We had one of our own up there which made it more meaningful for us in Hawaii. The teachers stopped classes and turned on the TV's to watch the news. My heart goes out to all the Astronauts and their family's.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

this brings back some very vivid memories ... just one of those moments that sticks with you

grade 7 and my homeroom elementary school teacher was the school science teacher. Mr Abramson; and he was one of the best teachers I ever had. Nerdy science guy but really self deprecating, funny and taught us kids as if we were adults ... he was all about discovery and teaching us new things. With his own dollar, he purchased different early computers from Radio Shack ... Timex Sinclairs and Commodore 64's and taught us how to write different very basic programs for them. One year long project was to grow "beasties" in a glass jar at home and every month we'd bring our jar in to school, put a droplet onto a petri dish and look at the progress of the critters under microscope ... He really had a passion for science and the with the way he taught, that passion was infectious for all students in the school

he was a member of some teachers group NASA association ... I think the same group that the elementary school teacher who died on board was a part of. Before the tragedy and throughout that school year, we had actual scientists (i guess they were scientists) from NASA come to our class with different exhibits and attache cases of moonrocks and space dust that was so mysterious to all of us and left us all in awe and wonderment. Really made science fun and exciting

The day of the tragedy, he convinced the principal of the school to hold an assembly in the gym for all students (not just our class) to watch the lift off. All the students were watching with excitement and then it happened and noone understood what they just saw except the teachers who were present. Mr Abramson started to cry and went outside the gym through a side door.

remember the scene like it was yesterday

 

[BOSSMANPC]

First man on the moon? I thought you said you witnessed Kittyhawk?

Wilbur and Orville were my nephews.

 

[davnlaguna]

I was working at Sears in the display department (signs, shelving, dressing dolls). I took my break to watch the lift off. There were about 40 of us watching a 14 inch TV in the break room. It was on the news all day long after that.

 

[buffhockey]

I was at work. Remember everyone crowding around the TV to watch....

Space launches used to be a really big deal.

 

[buffhockey]

As far as being old enough to remember, I remember the first man on the moon.

I also remember that.

 

[Comeds]

I was a sophomore in high school and was in biology class doing a lab. A teacher ran in whispered what happened to our teacher and then my teacher told us all. About 45 seconds later my lab partner Kirk lit a match, shook it in the air putting it out, then waved it around leaving a smoke trail and asked "whats this?".

I dont post that because I think its funny now, or really did even then. Its the truth and I never forgot his reaction. Honestly he probably did get a smile out of me then. It was all so shocking.

 

[puckhead]

Like jstew and mattola, watched it in school at an assembly.
It got real quiet in a real hurry. Principal said something, but I have no idea what.

 

[mattola]

this brings back some very vivid memories ... just one of those moments that sticks with you

grade 7 and my homeroom elementary school teacher was the school science teacher. Mr Abramson; and he was one of the best teachers I ever had. Nerdy science guy but really self deprecating, funny and taught us kids as if we were adults ... he was all about discovery and teaching us new things. With his own dollar, he purchased different early computers from Radio Shack ... Timex Sinclairs and Commodore 64's and taught us how to write different very basic programs for them. One year long project was to grow "beasties" in a glass jar at home and every month we'd bring our jar in to school, put a droplet onto a petri dish and look at the progress of the critters under microscope ... He really had a passion for science and the with the way he taught, that passion was infectious for all students in the school

he was a member of some teachers group NASA association ... I think the same group that the elementary school teacher who died on board was a part of. Before the tragedy and throughout that school year, we had actual scientists (i guess they were scientists) from NASA come to our class with different exhibits and attache cases of moonrocks and space dust that was so mysterious to all of us and left us all in awe and wonderment. Really made science fun and exciting

The day of the tragedy, he convinced the principal of the school to hold an assembly in the gym for all students (not just our class) to watch the lift off. All the students were watching with excitement and then it happened and noone understood what they just saw except the teachers who were present. Mr Abramson started to cry and went outside the gym through a side door.

remember the scene like it was yesterday

wow now THAT is a memory. great history in that.

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

I was at work. Remember everyone crowding around the TV to watch....

Space launches used to be a really big deal.

Nowadays. not so much. Oh yeah, that's right...we don't do shuttle launches anymore.

 

[davnlaguna]

My boss and I took an early lunch that day so we could watch it on TV. We went to a restaurant and Bar down the street that had great home made lunches.

We were just shooting the breeze as we watched and when it exploded the place went silent. We looked at each other and he said something like, Umm...What the hell happened? I said "I have no fucking idea but it's not good". Like the guy in the article said it was like a shocking thing to see. May the crew RIP.

As far as being old enough to remember, I remember the first man on the moon.

I remember that as well. I was a young kid. We watched the landing and I wanted to touch the guy on the moon. I ran up to the tv and slapped the screen with both hands. The TV was on a flimsy TV rolling cart. It went over and busted some tubes (yes TVs had tubes). We left our house and went next door to continue watching. After replacing the tubes the tv always had a problem with the part of the picture being upside down.

 

[Comeds]

this brings back some very vivid memories ... just one of those moments that sticks with you

grade 7 and my homeroom elementary school teacher was the school science teacher. Mr Abramson; and he was one of the best teachers I ever had. Nerdy science guy but really self deprecating, funny and taught us kids as if we were adults ... he was all about discovery and teaching us new things. With his own dollar, he purchased different early computers from Radio Shack ... Timex Sinclairs and Commodore 64's and taught us how to write different very basic programs for them. One year long project was to grow "beasties" in a glass jar at home and every month we'd bring our jar in to school, put a droplet onto a petri dish and look at the progress of the critters under microscope ... He really had a passion for science and the with the way he taught, that passion was infectious for all students in the school

he was a member of some teachers group NASA association ... I think the same group that the elementary school teacher who died on board was a part of. Before the tragedy and throughout that school year, we had actual scientists (i guess they were scientists) from NASA come to our class with different exhibits and attache cases of moonrocks and space dust that was so mysterious to all of us and left us all in awe and wonderment. Really made science fun and exciting

The day of the tragedy, he convinced the principal of the school to hold an assembly in the gym for all students (not just our class) to watch the lift off. All the students were watching with excitement and then it happened and noone understood what they just saw except the teachers who were present. Mr Abramson started to cry and went outside the gym through a side door.

remember the scene like it was yesterday

Wow, sounds like he was a great teacher and person.