We remember

Everyone who was old enough on January 28, 1986 remembers exactly where they were when they heard the news the Challenger Space Shuttle had been lost.

Like John Lennon’s assassination, this day is a cultural touchstone on the timeline of our babyboom generation.

The shuttle program launched for the first time in April 1981 and America marveled in a national pride that is hard to imagine in a world where we now carry that much computing power around in our pocket.

We were particularly proud of Christa McAuliffe, a young civilian teacher from Boston who won over 11,000 other applicants for the unprecedented privilege to teach our school children with a broadcast from space. 

Every crew member was lost. Life went on as it always does, but I remember being so overwhelmed with confusion and grief that I could not focus at work. I set my work down and went home for the day.

Twenty-five years ago tonight our entire nation was glued to the television to watch President Ronald Reagan pay tribute to some very brave men and women.

We remember.