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Guys,

I hate tomorrow, and probably every April 19th for the rest of my life yet I thank God for it.

You see, I was there when the bomb went off. I was refueling my ambulance after a 12 hour shift when the bomb detonated. Our refueling station was 3blocks from the Murrah Building. The blast literally blew my feet out from under me. Every window in our shop shattered from the pressure. My partner and I were the first ambulance on the scene.

Ground Zero was, in my eyes, the most spectacular and horrifying site I have ever seen. As soon as we rolled up, we were overcome by the wounded. People with glass embedded in their skin, bleeding profusely, some bleeding out. We grabbed everything we had on the ambulance, called for backup, and established a triage center. We had walking wounded, we had critical and some were so far gone, we couldn't help them. I handed out yellow tabs, red tabs, and placed black tabs.

As I approached what was left of the building, a man was reaching out to survivors, reaching out to help them up...but even as hard as he was trying to help them, we had to act fast. You see, he was bleeding out from his shoulder. His arm was supposed to be there. It was then that someone told me there was a daycare in the building. Now we knew not only dead adults, but the grim reality that there will be dead children. I reached down in the rubble, very close to the crater, and found a child's arm...unfortunately it was just the arm.

Around 10am, about an hour or so after the blast, someone yelled out of the building, "We found another bomb!!!" We were ordered out of the area. I ran faster and harder than my fat legs would carry me. I just knew I would be dead. But you see, there wasn't another bomb, and I lived. Lived so I could continue helping the wounded, place the murdered children in the back of my ambulance, our makeshift "portable morgue" for the children.

I lived so that the memory of this day would forever haunt, yet strengthen me. I lived so that even after that day, I could save a few more lives, and eventually save my own.

I stand here, a former NREMT-I, as a testimate of the human Spirit. I saw more compassion and love spring from this tragedy than any of the hurt it caused. I want you to know the kind of passion that went into the rescue effort, not for my sake, but for the sake of a few hundred Paramedics, EMT's, Firemen, Policemen and Deputies. We saw hell that day...but not even hell could keep us down.

I will never forget April 19th, 1995. It was the day that my former life ended, and a new one began.

Please think of the rescue workers that served 11 years ago. Pray for their families as these men and women re-live the moments that stood out that day. Pray for the husband, wife, brother, sister, aunt, and or uncle of each and every person that perished in that building. It has changed Oklahoma City forever.

Joe Wallis
EMSA Medic
1992-1996

Hey Joe, I had no ideal. Glad you did all you could when this happen. Very sad to see anyone have to end their life that way. Really sorry for the children, as they never got to live their lives out. Sorry for what you had to go through, but you did you had, and didn't stop. You have seen what very few people have, yet you didn't give up while doing your job. You probably saved a lot of lives. Never forget Joe, as I wont ether.

Thank god that fvcker got fried for that.

Well lethal injection anyways.

Im not sure what to say to that except Im sorry it happened and Im sorry you had to deal with it.

How you dealt with it plainly shows your character, a stand up guy.



Theres a stolen smiley, hope it makes your day.

Altec, we dont have a filter here. We find our members are usualy mature enough to know when its acceptable to use foul language. In this instance it wouldnt bother me to see an f bomb or two. It perfectly describes the idiot who did the act.

hey Joe, i completely forgot today was the anniversary of that tragic day...i remember i was in 3rd or 4th grade, and my elementary school shook (out here in nw okc!) and all the teachers and students wondered what it was. i went home later that day, walk in the door and my dad had the tv on and i saw live coverage of what was going on but still had no clue until my dad told me. i didn't grasp the event as a whole til several days later when i realized just how big this was....i was shocked. Even I (being 10 or 11 somewhere around that age) wanted to go down there and help out so much and do what i could..but your description of that event, is hardly imaginable for me to vision. Seeing people with amputated body parts...unimaginable. It is very gruesome and tragic to hear from someone who actually was there..

But you did what you could..you pulled through..you helped whoever you could, non-stop day after day. You have a strong heart and a stronger passion for wanting to help people and bring everyone together and pull through tough times.

You really are a hero to alot of people whether you kno it or not. All those dedicated service men and women are heroes for giving 110% that day (all the way through the following weeks). I truly applaud everyone who was there that day and pulled through. It was tragic that not everyone could be saved and especially all those kids that didn't get to kno what life was all about...horrific. I'm glad Timothy Mcveigh got his. I feel no sorrow or sympathy for that two-faced s.o.b.

Everytime i look through that magazine/book that came out with pictures and stories from those working the scene and it makes me wanna cry for them. Then looking in the back of the book and seeing the list of all 168 (i think) people that perished (esp the 1 month old girl i think..she was the youngest can't remember). Twas a sad day in history and it may have not changed the nation, but it sure as hell changed the heartland right here in the cener of the nation.

I too will never forget that tragic day (cuz there will ALWAYS be someone or something there to remind me about it).

As for Timothy McVeigh, I have no ill will to him. Over the years, while waiting for the death penalty to play out, I burdoned over his life. How could a man, who defended our nation, have the strength to plan and execute this heinous action. How could a man kill so many, show no remorse and still live with himself? How can a man like me, forgive? Only through the Grace of God did I have the strength to finally forgive the man who changed so many lives here in the heartland..mine included.

I knew my life wouldn't heal if I didn't forgive those who trespass against me. So I forgave McVeigh, Nichols, and even the lawyers who represented them. My life has continued to flourish since I forgave.

Last year was the first time I stepped foot at the Memorial Site. The first time I returned since april 1995. And during the time I was typing this up...9:02 came and passed.

I hope all of you have a blessed day...

Joe

Ryan from Ohio wrote: Altec, we dont have a filter here. We find our members are usualy mature enough to know when its acceptable to use foul language. In this instance it wouldnt bother me to see an f bomb or two. It perfectly describes the idiot who did the act.

wow thats crazy stuff. not really sure what to say here other than i appreciate people like you who are at tragedys like that helping out.

i remeber that bombing vaguely... i was only like 7 years old.