Survivors of Murrah Bombing, 9/11 Share Stories, Impact of Terrorism

Most college students may be too young to remember the Oklahoma City tragedy, but the 9/11 terrorist attack is still vivid in their minds. Monday, local college students heard from survivors and family members impacted by both tragedies.

Monday, April 19th 2010, 11:16 pm

By: News 9


By Jon Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Most college students may be too young to remember the Oklahoma City tragedy, but the 9/11 terrorist attack is still vivid in their minds. Monday, local college students heard from survivors and family members impacted by both tragedies.

The survivors and family members from both cities come together every year as a way to help each other heal but maybe even more important, to share their stories with the world.

The survivors and family members of two of the deadliest acts of terrorism, like Susan Walton a Murrah bombing survivor, were guest speakers at OSU-OKC.

"I was critically injured. I spent five weeks in the hospital and three weeks in rehab," said Susan Walton.

Tom Canavan was in the north tower of the World Trade Center when it collapsed.

"My first thought was ‘I am dead.' My second thought was ‘I'm ok. I didn't feel any pain,'" Canavan said.

The two groups were introduced to each other shortly after 9/11 when members of 419 Outreach, a non-profit organization formed of survivors and family members of the Murrah bombing traveled to New York City to help others grieve.

"We just felt that we have a perspective that we can help people work through the issues and problems they are having," Walton said.

Since then, the two groups have a shared a special bond and just as 419 Outreach was there in the wake of the World Trade Center attack, New Yorkers wanted to be in Oklahoma City on the 15-year anniversary for them.

"Survivors, family members who lost loved ones, first responders, we kind of bonded together and I call them my extended family," said Charlie Kaczorowski, World Trade Center survivor.

The group works together to educate the public on the personal impact of terrorism. A reason they were stunned to learn the Murrah bombing wasn't a required lesson in Oklahoma schools until a recent bill was passed.

"I was shocked. I was absolutely shocked that it wasn't in the curriculum," said Allen Horwitz whose son was killed on 9/11.

The survivors and family members say education is key to remembering.

"It's been stated that if you forget, history will repeat itself," Walton said.

Now even though the survivors and family members talk about what happened to them, they actually say they would prefer not to. But the group says sharing their experiences make the events more realistic and harder to forget.

In addition to helping each other, the group has also reached out to the victims of terrorism in places like Israel.

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