Our country changed forever on April 19, 1995. The Oklahoma City Bombing marked the largest domestic terrorist attack in United States history.  I remember getting off the school bus that day and learning about the bombing. I thought the pain and fear would never go away, but 14 years later, we can look back at that tragic event with reverence and hope. Oklahomans and the entire nation pulled together to overcome the attack. Today, we continue to remember those lost and to educate ourselves to prevent tragedies like this from happening again.

This past weekend, I was privileged to participate in the ninth annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. As I walked the sacred grounds of the memorial Sunday, I felt moved by the terrible event that occurred on that very same spot, but I also felt a sense of optimism as those 168 people will never be forgotten.
The former Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building is now the site of the Oklahoma City National Memorial. The former Journal Record building, located next door to the Murrah Building, now houses the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum and MIPT – the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism – “a counterterrorism center focused on training, analysis and information sharing in the prevention of terrorist attacks,” as quoted from the MIPT Web site. The Institute was founded as a direct result of the 1995 terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.
Since the bombing, Oklahoma City has transformed. It’s a revitalized, progressive, major-league city with excitement for its future and respect for its history. The Memorial Marathon is more than just a race – it is an uplifting tribute to the good in people.