Thousands Run to Remember Survivors, Victims of Murrah Bombing

Thousands of runners ran through the streets of Oklahoma City in honor of the survivors and victims of the Murrah Bombing for the Memorial Marathon. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.news9.com/global/story.asp?s=12331405" target="_self">Interactive Timeline: Murrah Bombing</a>

Sunday, April 25th 2010, 6:31 pm

By: News 9


By Jon Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY – Thousands of runners ran through the streets of Oklahoma City in honor of the survivors and victims of the Murrah Bombing for the Memorial Marathon.

It was the tenth anniversary of the marathon and the race continues to impact the entire community.

Every step the runners take is in an effort to never forget the April 19, 1995 and to remember what happened to people like Amy Petty, who was working in the credit union on the third floor of the Murrah Federal Building.

"I was just sitting at my desk and all of a sudden fell three floors and was buried under about 10 feet of rumble for over six and a half hours," said Amy Petty, a bombing survivor. "You can't go through something like that and not be changed."

Amy Petty made a huge life change after the bombing 15 years ago. She shed 181 pounds as part of a commitment to herself to live a more productive life. That's what had her running in her first ever Memorial Marathon.

Read Amy's story about her preparation for the marathon.

"Last year I was volunteering at the finish line and I was overcome with emotion seeing so many," Petty said. "Different people of all shapes and sizes, all abilities, nationalities cross that finish line and I thought to myself ‘I want to do this. I want to do this in honor of my friends who were killed."

Paul Howell's daughter, Karan Denise Shepherd, was one of the last three victims pulled from the wreckage. To honor her memory Paul comes to the marathon every year, this time as a spectator.

"It's emotionally pretty heavy, but not bad enough I can't stand it. It's encouraging to me," Howell said.

"We said 15 years ago we will not forget. What better way to send a message than to do something like this and show them we haven't forgotten," Petty said.

Just under 23,000 runners participated in the race. The money raised benefits the memorial and keeping the legacy of the 168 victims alive.

Fifteen Years: A Living Timeline
The bombing of Oklahoma City's Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building changed our city and nation forever. Experience the events of April 19, 1995, and the fifteen years since that fateful day. >>View the Timeline

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