Death in the Sky

[Dongha]

I woke this morning at 3:30, made coffee, checked my email, took a shower, and got dressed. Left for work at around ten after 5, got briefed at work on actions and activities, and strapped on my gun and started. First hour, from 6:45 to 7:45 AM, was at Southgate. The second hour, I was on patrol. Shortly before 8:00 AM, the Supervisor called and said the shuttle was due over. I stopped the truck, got out, and looked to the west. The shuttle showed itself, burning through the upper atmosphere, with pieces coming off and setting their own fiery path through the sky.

I knew I was watching death, in the morning sky.

The blast, the explosion, whatever it was, shook the truck.

Pieces of debris flamed away from the main body of the shuttle, large and small.

I watched, as the pieces continued toward a destination, a landing, that would not happen, and I prayed for seven courageous souls.

Here, at home, the television is filled with pictures, videos, interviews. My work day is done. Theirs came to a tragic end. Before I ever entered the house, I put my flag at half-mast, a symbol of mourning. A sense of loss, of melancholy, pervades......

And my prayers go out to the families.

Let us honor their work, their sacrifice, their courage, by continuing our research, our exploration, our search for answers.

DONGHA,

I must agree with you.

[The Guardian]

Dongha: This is hard enough to witness thru the sureal world of cyberspace and TV. But to see it live.. :'(

I agree with you completely.

That would of put me in shock to see that happen.

Dongha, you are a police officer? Cool.. I didn't know that.

I also agree completely... may we remember those who were lost and not forget.

[Persephone]

You have such a way of expressing what we all feel. I know it is especially profound for you for having witnessed it. My heart is with you and all who are grieving today.

We just turned off the movie Signs and when the TV came on we saw burning wreckage falling from space. It took a moment to figure out that it must be the shuttle. What a nasty feeling to know that brave people had just died doing their jobs.

It is inevitable that with the number of launches something is going to go very wrong sooner or later. Every endeavor contains an element of risk. I'm sure that those who ride in the shuttle are very aware that they are sitting on high explosives the whole trip. God bless the brave people that take that risk. God bless the families of those who perished today.

[Dongha]

That would of put me in shock to see that happen.

Dongha, you are a police officer? Cool.. I didn't know that.

I also agree completely... may we remember those who were lost and not forget.


Not a cop. Armed security for a Federal installation.

[ilovelucy]

Dongha,

Thanks for the post--even more powerful since you actually were there....

We are in sore need of good news these days.....

That would of put me in shock to see that happen.

Dongha, you are a police officer? Cool.. I didn't know that.

I also agree completely... may we remember those who were lost and not forget.


Not a cop. Armed security for a Federal installation.


Cool.

You know that must of been quite an experience... I would of been shakened by it... and in shock... after seeing the spacecraft break apart.

[LanceALott]

I turned on the tv, and made coffee, as I always do in the morning. Fox News was covering a Shuttle launching. I thought, "Another one of these. It must be a bad news day."

Then I heard they had lost all contact with the craft, and I thought that's not good. There should b e radar, even if radio contact is lost as it always is during re-entry.

Then, as the coffee began to drip, I heard the reporter say, "they are four minutes overdue for landing," And I knew there was no hope for the crew.

People live, people die, and I know not why; but if there's a God up there in the sky, take care of them, and I hope he sees this tear in my eye.