Where Were You?

I am always fascinated how people remember details of where they were and what they were doing when someone dies. My first recollection of this was when Elvis died. It was 1977 and I remember my mom and sister watching it on TV. Being the talkative 6 year old I was, I was instructed to be quiet! Elvis was dead and it was very important that my mom and sister take in every little detail of his death.

The next person I remember was John Lennon. I was at inside recess at Keene Elementary. The teacher had just blown the whistle for us to freeze so she could start calling us back to class. My best friend Jennifer McFarland leaned over to me and said "Did you hear John Lennon was shot?" I said "Who is John Lennon?" Jennifer said "You know the Beatle!"

Fast forward to fourth grade. Reagan was shot. I was in Mrs. Blust's class sitting behind Aaron Dryer. She wheeled in a TV so we could watch it. We were shocked, the President of the United States had some crazy man try and kill him!

I had just started at Ohio Edison and was in training when the OJ verdict was read. The instructers stopped the class and we listened to it on a radio that we found.

Probably the biggest event most people will remember is 9/11. I wrote about it in a journal I had started to record events for my kids, actually just Callie at the time. It was a beautiful day and I was watching the Today show with Matt Lauer and Katie Couric. I had just gotten on the treadmill when all the confusion began. I remember first calling Kevin who was working in Massillon and then calling my mother in law and telling her to turn on the TV. It isn't until later that you realize the impact a day like that has on your life.

Which brings me to today. I had taken the kids to Putt-n-Stuff in Orville. It a little after 6:30 when a college girl who was sitting next to me got a text message. She said "NO WAY, Michael Jackson is dead!" Oh C'mon, I thought, these kids have no idea what they are talking about. Besides Farrah Fawcett had passed away this morning, what's the chances that another one of my childhood icons has died. She changed the TV to CNN and there it was. Another "where were you moment" for me and the beginning of them for my kids.