Former Governor Keating Shares Stories of Hope

A former governor of Oklahoma shared his stories of hope at the Oklahoma City National Memorial as part of a series commemorating a day that forever changed Oklahoma.

Friday, July 17th 2009, 7:10 pm

By: News 9


By Jon Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY - A former governor of Oklahoma shared his stories of hope at the Oklahoma City National Memorial as part of a series commemorating a day that forever changed Oklahoma.

As former Governor Frank Keating and his wife walked the Oklahoma City National Memorial, Keating said he remembered watching some of the first pictures on April 19, 1995. He said at that point, he knew instantly life for Oklahomans would never be the same.

"The way it was destroyed that wasn't an explosion, someone blew it up. My reaction was this is a terrorist event. There was going to be a lot of casualties," Keating said. "It was a family attack. It was a family tragedy."

Keating and his wife spoke about their memories as part of a summer series at the National Memorial called "Stories of Hope." Victims' family members were present like Angela Richardson whose mom Norma Jean Johnson was working on the third floor when the bomb exploded.

"Whenever I saw that governor Keating was going to be here it was important to be able to come and see him," Richardson said.

She said seeing the governor speak at the National Memorial was important because his actions and leadership are what helped get her through her most trying time.

Governor Keating said it was easy for him to relate to the victims because he knew many of those killed. Some of the victims had even worked for him, people he said he won't ever forget.

"I will always love the people who participated in this agony with me, with us to my dying day," Keating said.

The Governor said it can be emotional when he visits the memorial, but he looks around and sees what has been accomplished and that he said is what offers comfort.

More information on upcoming guests for the Oklahoma City National Memorial "Stories of Hope" summer series.

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