RICHMOND, Va. -- "I remember exactly where I was, where I was standing and what I was doing when it blew up," says Colonial Heights Fire Chief AG Moore.
And he's not alone, no matter the age or the place, the Challenger disaster is a etched into the memory of many, like Lia Tremblay, who was 10 years old at the time. "I was at home with my sister and my mother and
"I was at home with my sister and my mother and we were in the living room watching the Challenger launch," she says while sitting on her sofa.
Now 30 years later she adds; "I think it was just one of those moments of childhood where you really realize exactly how badly things can go".
Shannon Seay was like thousands of school children across the country.
"The teacher brought in this TV on wheels," said Seay.
There were likely more kids watching in classrooms around the nation because the Challenger carried the first teacher into space. But just moments into the flight, the Challenger exploded.
Rich Jacobs was 21 and a seaman in the Coast Guard.
"Just like anyone else, just stunned, just absolutely stunned," he said; as he watched it unfold while on board the cutter ship he helped crew.
Within hours, Jacobs and the 270 foot long ship left Portsmouth and headed towards Cape Canaveral to be part of the effort to recover debris. "Most of the debris apparently fell into the Gulf Stream so we chased it all the way to Cape Hatteras, we did that search 24 hours a day for more than a week" he says.
"Most of the debris apparently fell into the Gulf Stream so we chased it all the way to Cape Hatteras, we did that search 24 hours a day for more than a week," he said.
Now three decades later, Jacobs has a couple of old photographs and a certificate of appreciation from NASA for his part in the recovery efforts. and like so many he still remembers "You don't forget, especially if you hold pieces of it in your hands".
"You don't forget, especially if you hold pieces of it in your hands," he said, echoing the sentiments of so many.
