On April 19th, 1995, Oklahoma City underwent a tragic disaster. The bombings at Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City killed 168 people, and left 680+ badly injured. A photo was taken that day of a firefighter carrying a very badly injured infant out of the building.
This photo really affects my emotions, because it puts the frantic situation into perspective. People hearing the commotion, and feeling the building shake, then scrambling out to protect themselves from falling debris. This innocent baby has been brutally killed due to the careless recklessness of a complete stranger. I can only imagine the defeat the firefighter felt to finally rescue the infant, only to realize she is dead. He dove into the inferno of flames, putting victims' lives before his own, then pulled Baylee Almon from the abyss, and cradled her limp body in his arms. The dense smoke swirling behind them creates a barrier, leaving them secluded from the horrible disaster site only for a short time. Chris Fields pushed up his mask, to briefly look into the eyes of the poor, badly hurt baby. She was lifeless; his desperate efforts were no use.
This is why America needs to change. Just think of the future this child could've had. There is no need for such violence in this country, or anywhere else. Seeing this photo really makes me think twice about how lucky I am that I haven't gone through a huge disaster such as the bombing.
Olivia, that baby reminded me so much of my own child that I had trouble looking at it. Very powerful.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to write about a powerful picture, but after I wrote this, I felt like crying. :(
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