Euclid High School Online Directory

Where Were You ...

January 28, 1986 

When you first learned of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion?

Jim Anderson (E '72)  I was the daytime watch officer at the NATO Headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany and watching CNN at the time.  Watched the whole incident in amazement.  Things got a bit busy, as initially there were thoughts of sabotage (height of the cold war and all that).

Steve Anzells (E'82)  I was at work anticipating a Bad Co. and Twisted Sister concert I was going to that night with a friend from Wickliffe.  I learned of the explosion on the radio at work but the best part was at the concert that night, Dee Snider of Twisted Sister dedicated their song "The Price" to all the astronauts and Richfield Coliseum went silent w/ lighters lit and complete strangers hugging and swaying back and forth. It was quite moving.

Marti Bartel (E '68)  I was a stay-at-home mom then.  I remember how distressed my kindergarten daughter was.  I believe they were watching the launch live on television at school that day.

Richard Bliss (E '87)  I will never forget the day of the space shuttle Challenger explosion.  A sad day it was, but kind of comical as I (unfortunately) saw it that day.  I was in auto shop and we had a gentleman in from a company that had made the rubber o-rings for the shuttle.  He seemed to be a very pompous person, going on and on about how important of a company they were and telling us about the composition and manufacturing of these very important o-rings.  Then, just like out of an "airplane" movie, Mr. Goebel opened the office door and with everybody looking at him, announced that the space shuttle had just blown up and closed the door that quick.  Takes me back to Leslie Nielsen in "Airplane" in the scene where he opens the door to the cockpit and says, "I just wanted to let you know, we're all counting on you."  I never saw a person pack up his belongings so fast as this guy doing the presentation to us.  His briefcase, as he ran out the door, had everything hanging out the sides like in a bad movie.  What an absolute trip THAT was!!

Russ Borger (S '36)  I saw that on the noon news, I could not believe that which was happening before my eyes.  By that time, the space program was being taken for granted, and no one expected anything could go wrong.

Bonnie Bowman (E '62)  I was at work at the offices of Cape & Islands Emergency Medical Services in Hyannis, Massachusetts, preparing recertification materials for area paramedics.  I had the radio on.

Phil Bremser (E '50)  I was at my desk in Charlotte when the announcement was made.  Everyone went to the TV to follow the tragedy.

Chris Bryant (E '90)  I was an 8th grader at Forest Park, in Mrs. Contenza's Math class in room 204.  She made the grim announcement to the class.  Right then I knew that was a moment of my own, like my Mom and Dad had talked about, "Where they were" for previous events.  Ironically, I was also at Forest Park for the Sept. 11 attacks, as a 6th grade teacher.

Joanne Buchar (E '58) I was at Whitehall Yearling High School where I was a guidance counselor and remember walking down the hall as everyone was watching the blast-off since the first teacher, Christa McAuliffe was on board.  I could hear and see all TV's were on as I was in the science wing.  I can still picture myself there and hearing the TV sound as the announcer was noting the blast-off.  Classrooms were all watching the screen when the explosion occurred.  I can remember the responses from the classroom, then the complete silence.

Patrick S. Cater (E '89)  I was a freshman at the high school and happened to be in Mr. Russo's office working on my schedule for the following year.  A PA announcement informed the student body and faculty of the space shuttle exploding.

Claudia Cummings (E '87)  I was in American History Class at EHS when we heard about the accident ... all I remember of that moment was shocked silence, which continued for the rest of the day around the entire school.

Len Evancic (E ’58)  I was at a meeting in Destin, Florida where I had just finished speaking to a group of businessmen.  Shortly before the meeting ended, I left the room to check-out of the hotel.  Although no one at the desk said anything to me about the Challenger accident, I "sensed" an eerie quiet around me and felt the need to ask "is there something wrong"?  One of the employees answered with "haven't you heard" and silently pointed to a television across the lobby that others were looking at.  Without another word, I walked over to the set and watched in horror as replays of the Challenger launch were being replayed.

John Fleshin (E '64)  I was teaching biology at Cleveland Heights High School, and we just all became really quiet.  It was shocking to the point that we did not have much to say.

Shirley Furse (E '71)  I was working for Columbia Pictures in Beachwood and our boss had the division head from Chicago in his office at the time.  They had the TV on and all of a sudden, we heard the big boss say, "Oh God, No!"  We all rushed into the office to watch the trails of smoke coming down from the sky.  The entire office was very quiet for the next couple hours so that we could hear the reports as they came over the TV.

Gretchen Gibbs (E '73)  Our business was located just off of US 1 in Sharpes, FL (between Titusville and Cocoa), maybe 15-20 miles as the crow flies to the launch pad.  Those employees that cared to would wander out to the parking lot because once the shuttle cleared the tree line, we could see the rest of the launch process - including the dropping of the solid rocket boosters on a clear day like that one.  STS 51-L was the 25th shot, so it was 'old hat' to those of us who had been here since the program started.  I went to the stockroom to verify something when I heard the explosion and my secretary came running out the door that lead to the office and around to the stockroom and just said "Something's wrong!"  We walked outside together and saw the incredible mass of white....not the familiar arch.  The radio was on the NASA announcement channel and we soon knew the fate of the crew - and all of our friends, acquaintances and business associates that worked at the Space Center.  That day and for many to follow it was rare to enter a store, restaurant, bank even park and not see people with tears running down there faces.  That mission was so special....breaking new ground by taking a civilian.  We had gotten to know Christa Mcauliffe so well through all of the coverage of her participation.  Months later the employees of the Space Center were taken department by department to view the recovered wreckage.  The woman who had been my closest friend for over 15 years related to me the emotions that overcame her when she saw the cracked helmets, the singed gloves.  We relived the day over and over with the investigation and the news coverage it received.  I still cringe every time there is a launch, holding my breath as I count the seconds until the solid rocket boosters drop.

Mike Gordon (E '53)  I was watching the launch on TV.  I tried to watch as many as I could, being a advocate of space exploration since I was a child.  The cameras used by NASA were so good you could see the small puff of flame from the booster seal, and you knew it wasn't good.  Before it had barely registered, the Challenger exploded.

Leah Halus (E '80)  I was in Newton, North Carolina working as a Deputy Sheriff at the Catawba County Sheriff's Department.

Stacy Hamilton (E '89)  I was in the library at EHS with a dozen other students were watching the launch on TV.  I remember when it exploded, somebody spread the word to the others in the library and then everyone started cramming into the room to see the replays.

Dan Himmelman (E '80)  I was in a conference room at work at Parker-Hannifin.  Many of us watched the launches since our company supplied parts and materials for the shuttle program.  We stood in stunned silence for what seemed like an eternity as we struggled to absorb the shock.

Walton Howes (C '44)  I was eating lunch with NASA co-worker Don Boldman at the Fairview Lounge when we noticed the waitresses gathered around the TV.  We walked over to find out what had happened.  My immediate reaction to the explosion was that it was just a matter of time before something like the Challenger would happen considering the great danger of manned space flight.  Only later did I learn that the accident was the responsibility of NASA managers who put politics ahead of scientific data in making the decision to launch.

Mark Jerson (E '76)  I watched on television as it happened.  I took the day off of work and was watching the liftoff.  My recollection was that the event was forced to take place on that date.  There were delays due to weather problems and other factors.  But someone said, "The show must go on" to keep things on schedule and the rest is history.

Bob Johnson (E '74)  I was attending a school in Irving (Dallas), Texas.  I remember someone came into class and said that the Shuttle had had an accident on liftoff.  I remember thinking "oh that can't be good" ... since I knew liftoff and re-entry were the times when the shuttle was most vulnerable.  I also remember going out to my rental car at lunch and just sitting there glued to the radio.  I couldn't get enough news.

Chera Kuklica (E '91)  I was in the 7th grade, watching it on TV at school.

Robert Lefkowitz (E '62)  I was teaching a Phys Ed class at L'Anse Creuse High School in Mt. Clemens, Michigan.  There was no intercom in the gym, so it wasn't until class was over and I had released my students that I was notified.

Jeff Legan (E '71)  I was on the air at WFGB in Kingston, NY.  Someone called the station and asked if it was true that the Challenger had exploded.  I called my wife, because I knew she was planning on watching the launch on TV.  She said she had turned the TV off because it appeared to have been too cold for them to launch.  She turned the TV back on and confirmed the worst.

Karen Lewin (E '59)  I was teaching kindergarten at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School when I first heard the news.

Roberta Minicucci (E '55)  I was watching the liftoff with several children in a day care center, in New York.  It was very difficult trying to find what to tell the children.

David Mog (E '60)  I heard about it while listening to the BBC news on a short wave radio.  I was in a hotel room in Bombay, India getting ready to go to a meeting on Industrial Energy Conservation in Indian Industries.

Dave Newman (S '45)  I was playing golf with my buddies at Torrey Pines, San Diego.  Got the news later in the day.

Patrick O'Brien (E' 84)  I was an enlisted soldier in the US Army stationed in Darmstadt Germany.  My Platoon Sergeant told me that Challenger exploded.  My first thought was that Mr. Charles Reno (my EHS Computer Science and Physics teacher) was a candidate for the Teacher in Space for that flight.

Linda Palmer (E '65)  I was teaching an English class at Northmont High School in Clayton, Ohio.  One of my students said he had been watching the take-off in his last class and saw the shuttle explode.  The rest of us were skeptical -- until I turned on the TV set in my room.

Roger Petan (E '75)  I was living in Tacoma, Washington, getting ready to leave for a college class, and saw it on TV.

Tom Porter (E '51)  I was at work in the morning at Lubrizol, Painesville Plant.  Went out at noon on my lunch break and heard about it at a local drug store.

Ken Powell (E '78)  I was interviewing for an open faculty position in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan.  As I was in the office of a faculty member there, talking to him about what I would do if I were hired, we were interrupted by his phone ringing.  He answered it; it was his wife, who taught elementary school.  I heard him say, "you're joking," then go pale.  He hung up and told me that the Space Shuttle had exploded.  Within a few minutes, a TV had been set up in the department, and many people were watching the reports and the footage of the explosion. Soon, reporters started calling the department, and media people were trying to get comments from the Aerospace faculty about what had happened.  Whether because of, irrespective of, or despite the coincidental timing, I got the position, and have been teaching there ever since.

Bob Sheppard (E '62)  I was working in Miami at the time and making a phone call to a customer.  I was put on hold and was listening through the phone to the radio station they were using for their on-hold music when the station broke in with a news bulletin.

Robert K. Smith (E '68)  I was at work for a software company in Tucson AZ, in an office I shared with someone else who got the news over the phone.  He turned and said, "There's been a problem with the launch, the shuttle exploded."

Pamela Snyder (E '83)  I was tending to my mother's broken leg, watching tv with her when it came on.  I remember discussing it with my mother, namely because one of the women, Christa McAuliffe was a teacher and a mother and she was doing this as something new and exciting in her life.

Vicky Sump (E '74)  I was living in Mentor and was home at the time on maternity leave.  There had been an earthquake that morning.  I thought someone was driving through the wall of our condo.  The cupboard doors flew open and items were falling on the floor.  I turned the TV on to see what had happened and was shocked to see the Shuttle disaster.  My problems were nothing!

Joseph Tannenbaum (E '61)  I was home in Phoenix, AZ watching the launch on TV.  It was terrible.

Jill Taplin (E '93)  I was in Miss Domsher's 5th grade class at Roosevelt Elementary.  My mom was driving me home for lunch and we heard it on the radio.

Sharon Weaver (E '59)  I was teaching school.  Luckily I had forgotten to tune in so my first graders didn't see it happen.

Don Whiteside (E '53)  I was departing duty at March AFB when the sad news of our three astronauts' deaths were announced on the evening radio news.

Bob Williams (E '73)  I had come home for lunch to check on my son, who had stayed home from school that day because he was sick.  The TV was on as I was talking to my wife.  I was watching the launch out of the corner of my eye when the Shuttle exploded.  When I went back to school the staff and students were all talking about it.  It was very hard to finish out the day.

Amy Wilson (E '82) I was conducting Independent Study research experiments in a laboratory of the Chemistry building at The College of Wooster.

Barbara Wilson (S '49)  I was told this news by the Wake Forest University Music Department secretary who was such a tease, I thought she was kidding.  I didn't "get it" at first and then, of course, was horrified.

Michael Wilson (E '78)  On the cold morning I stepped out into the parking lot of my workplace in Orlando and looked east.  The plume of the shuttle's engines was already visible.  Gradually I noticed that it had divided into two plumes.  That was not normal.  Not having a radio with me, I could only wonder what had happened, but I knew it was trouble nonetheless.  In the crystal-clear winter air I could see pieces falling from the middle of the cloud, even from 30 miles away.  I assumed the orbiter was intact and that they would return to land at the Kennedy Space Center.  I returned to the office and listened to the radio and learned they were not coming back.

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Last Revised: May 31, 2008