I had seen pictures of the OKC Memorial honoring those who died during the bomb blast on April 19, 1995; however, the pictures do not do the memorial justice for the emotions captured walking around the grounds.

The two ends have large gateways one with 9:01 on it and the other with 9:03. This is to signify how the people were at 9:01 before the blast at 9:02 and then after the blast changed everything and lives were changed at 9:03.

There are pieces of the old building left along the edges of the grounds. An exhibit of tiles with messages and drawings from children adorn one area. There is a gate outside the 9:01 entrance where notes, flowers and mementos have been left. The gate on the 9:03 side reads: “We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived, and those who were changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.” In the parking lot there is a mural of the building with its dates of existence, 4/8/1952 – 4/19/1995, with a request to “Never let us forget the children”. The large tree pictured survived the bomb’s blast and is referred to as the Survivor Tree. The chairs represent each person who perished that day – large chairs represent adults and small chairs represent children who were in the daycare.