John’s Remembrances Of The Challenger Explosion

It's hard to believe that 30 years have passed since we saw that sight. I had been married for just about a year, had an almost 3-year-old stepson. Had a day off from my job as an announcer at a station in northern Minnesota.

I have always liked watching the space launches. I was at my then in-laws' house near Milaca, Minnesota, and we were watching on TV. We were so shocked when they said those famous words, "go with throttle up" and then there was the big puff of smoke and you saw some debris. We knew it was not good. You know that no one could have survived that.

It seemed like it brought the nation together for a while. Other things that were going on seemed not so important. We were all focused on those that we never saw again. Especially that hard-working teacher, Christa McAuliffe.