It has been greater than 26 years for the reason that Murrah Constructing bombing. And a retired Guthrie firefighter is simply now sharing his story with KOCO 5 in hopes of discovering the lady behind this nameplate.As luck would have it, he occurred to search out two items of it on separate days. And he knew in the future he’d give it again to the lady if she survived.“I’m proud to have been a Guthrie firefighter,” Wesley Whitehorn stated.What started as a standard day for Whitehorn.“I used to be engaged on my lawnmower early that morning and my home shook like an earthquake,” he stated. The day turned out to be some of the vital of his life.“The Murrah Constructing bombing was one of many largest issues in my profession — that is occurred apart from delivering infants,” he stated. The explosion shook Oklahoma and the nation to the core.“My cellphone rings. It was the fireplace division. ‘A bomb went off. Are you going?’ I picked up my gear, blood is pumping, lights and sirens all the best way. I may see the constructing from off the ramp and the shakes and the nervousness and the scared half form of hit me the nearer we received to the constructing,” he stated.Whitehorn and different emergency responders descended onto a scene that to today brings up a torrent of feelings.“You may lookup at what’s left of the constructing and will see our bodies and rocks. There are rocks larger than this room,” he stated.And with heavy hearts, regulation enforcement and firefighters labored hours on finish to save lots of these they may save and canopy the our bodies of these they couldn’t – giving victims as a lot dignity as doable.Ultimately, they cleaned the world and made means for continued rescue efforts.“It was simply horrible. Actually horrible,” Whitehorn stated.As he assisted in dumping particles, he made a discovery.“The primary piece laying amongst some massive rocks. Simply bent down and selecting issues up .. it was simply laying there,” he stated. “I learn a part of the identify right here and I simply thought whoever it’s certainly did not make it out.”For some purpose, he felt compelled to carry onto it.“It simply caught out for some purpose,” he stated.Whitehorn stated there was a lot particles, he by no means imagined discovering something linked to it. However he was incorrect.“Appeared like two days, later they received me on the west facet,” he stated.As destiny would have it, he discovered one other piece. “I had a bucket and dumped it on the finish,” he stated. “Nearly to pour one-half of it on the market, occurred to look down in it and, wow, two days later this piece exhibits up,” he stated.It reads “Florence Rogers.”“It was wonderful. I by no means would have thought it suits,” he stated. But it surely did. And he has held onto it for 26 years.“I used to be scared as a result of I used to be instructed to not take something from the scene,” he stated.Fears apart now, it’s time to return it to one of many many individuals whose lives had been destroyed that day.Hopefully giving again a chunk of the lady’s life earlier than it was shaken. As a result of he learn she was a survivor. “It is bothered me 12 months after 12 months after 12 months, day after day to fulfill this woman — to offer it again to her,” he stated.He wished to offer it to her this 12 months on the remembrance ceremony however didn’t due to COVID-19.“My largest dream is to actually give it again to her,” he stated.Whitehorn has a primary responder’s coronary heart to assist. He says her life earlier than turning into a sufferer and survivor issues.And this small token represents that.“Florence Rogers, there’s somebody who has one thing of yours who want to give it to you,” he stated.If Rogers or her household, e mail KOCO 5 or name 405-475-5555.
It has been greater than 26 years for the reason that Murrah Constructing bombing.
And a retired Guthrie firefighter is simply now sharing his story with KOCO 5 in hopes of discovering the lady behind this nameplate.
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As luck would have it, he occurred to search out two items of it on separate days. And he knew in the future he’d give it again to the lady if she survived.
“I’m proud to have been a Guthrie firefighter,” Wesley Whitehorn stated.
What started as a standard day for Whitehorn.
“I used to be engaged on my lawnmower early that morning and my home shook like an earthquake,” he stated.
The day turned out to be some of the vital of his life.
“The Murrah Constructing bombing was one of many largest issues in my profession — that is occurred apart from delivering infants,” he stated.
The explosion shook Oklahoma and the nation to the core.
“My cellphone rings. It was the fireplace division. ‘A bomb went off. Are you going?’ I picked up my gear, blood is pumping, lights and sirens all the best way. I may see the constructing from off the ramp and the shakes and the nervousness and the scared half form of hit me the nearer we received to the constructing,” he stated.
Whitehorn and different emergency responders descended onto a scene that to today brings up a torrent of feelings.
“You may lookup at what’s left of the constructing and will see our bodies and rocks. There are rocks larger than this room,” he stated.
And with heavy hearts, regulation enforcement and firefighters labored hours on finish to save lots of these they may save and canopy the our bodies of these they couldn’t – giving victims as a lot dignity as doable.
Ultimately, they cleaned the world and made means for continued rescue efforts.
“It was simply horrible. Actually horrible,” Whitehorn stated.
As he assisted in dumping particles, he made a discovery.
“The primary piece laying amongst some massive rocks. Simply bent down and selecting issues up .. it was simply laying there,” he stated. “I learn a part of the identify right here and I simply thought whoever it’s certainly did not make it out.”
For some purpose, he felt compelled to carry onto it.
“It simply caught out for some purpose,” he stated.
Whitehorn stated there was a lot particles, he by no means imagined discovering something linked to it. However he was incorrect.
“Appeared like two days, later they received me on the west facet,” he stated.
As destiny would have it, he discovered one other piece.
“I had a bucket and dumped it on the finish,” he stated. “Nearly to pour one-half of it on the market, occurred to look down in it and, wow, two days later this piece exhibits up,” he stated.
It reads “Florence Rogers.”
“It was wonderful. I by no means would have thought it suits,” he stated.
But it surely did. And he has held onto it for 26 years.
“I used to be scared as a result of I used to be instructed to not take something from the scene,” he stated.
Fears apart now, it’s time to return it to one of many many individuals whose lives had been destroyed that day.
Hopefully giving again a chunk of the lady’s life earlier than it was shaken. As a result of he learn she was a survivor.
“It is bothered me 12 months after 12 months after 12 months, day after day to fulfill this woman — to offer it again to her,” he stated.
He wished to offer it to her this 12 months on the remembrance ceremony however didn’t due to COVID-19.
“My largest dream is to actually give it again to her,” he stated.
Whitehorn has a primary responder’s coronary heart to assist. He says her life earlier than turning into a sufferer and survivor issues.
And this small token represents that.
“Florence Rogers, there’s somebody who has one thing of yours who want to give it to you,” he stated.
If Rogers or her household, e mail KOCO 5 or name 405-475-5555.