[James Matthew Najera]

General Discussion Thread 05.25.2025​

Hey GrayViners!

Let’s take a little walk down memory lane—not just your memory lane, but the world’s.

Today's general discussion is all about those unforgettable, history-making moments you actually lived through. You know the ones—when time seemed to pause and you remember exactly where you were, who you were with, and maybe even what song was playing on the radio.

So tell us: What’s a moment in history you’ll never forget experiencing?

Maybe it was watching the moon landing on a grainy TV screen…
Or hearing about JFK’s assassination from a stunned teacher…
Or even something joyful—like dancing in the street when a war ended, or watching your favorite underdog win Olympic gold.

Whatever it is, we want to hear about your moment. Big or small, if it stuck with you, it counts.

Drop your story in the comments below—let’s take a moment to remember, reflect, and maybe learn something new from each other.

Cheers!
Blue

 

[ghandi44]

I was in Miami and watching TV. On it was pictures of Castro entering Havana Cuba.

 

[lesliey627]

May 4th, 1970 I was sitting in health class at Kent Roosevelt High School when an announcement came over the PA system. " All students that road buses were to immediately go outside and find their bus. After the buses were off school grounds the remaining students would be released to walk home." As it turns out, we were told there had been further unrest on the KSU campus and all citizens were to remain at their homes. There would be no travel in or out of the city. The rumors were flowing faster than the Cuyahoga river that ran through town. Some said that LSD had been dumped in the water at the water treatment plant not far from my house. Others said people were being shot. If so, who and where? The rumors continued to increase as did the anxiety of this 15 year old girl.

Leslie Konkle Youngs

 

[MZM]

I was in elementary school, living on a navy based. A boy in my class had been sent to the principal's office, and he came back at the end of the day and whispered to us that the President (Kennedy) had been shot. I teacher overheard and told him to be quiet. My BFF and I got on the navy buss that would take us to home, on the base. We were the only 2 that lived on the based itself, the other children, lived in navy housing off the base. We had asked the driver if it was true, when we first got on the bus, he told us to sit down and did not answer. But my BFF and I, knew that if the flag was at half mast, it was true and the President and died. All the other children were off the bus and as we passed through security, the flag pole was straight ahead, and the flag was at half mast The next thing I remember is watching the funeral on TV and the black horse with the boots in the stirrups facing backwards

 

[Pattij50]

I’ll never forget when John Kennedy was killed. I was in 7th grade

 

[NIBOR0]

I'll never forget on Tuesday, 911 I had just woke up and turned on the news and watched that plane slam into the Twin Towers. I saw the man jump out the window. It was horrifying.

My sister was a flight attendant for American Airlines and I immediately tried calling her and it kept going to voicemail. I called my Mom and screamed at her to turn on the news and asked where Raegan was. Mom said she was still in Phoenix. I told her that all flights had been canceled. I was crying so hard it hurt.

 

[lindadominguez]

In October 1960 I was in the 5th grade. In those days, our entire elementary school had ONE television - and my class was scheduled to watch Nikita Khrushchev speak to the UN . At the time, Khrushchev was the leader of the Soviet Union, and architect of the Cuban Missile Crisis (ultimately leading to the assassination of JFK?). It was during this session that Khrushchev pounded his shoe on his delegate desk -

 

[Francie]

I was in the school library when the announcement of President Kennedy’s assignation was made. There was a loud but muffled groan of disbelief followed by the sound of quiet sobbing. Will never forget.

 

[ccolpitts05]

I remember when JFK was killed. I was laying on the family room couch because I just got home from getting my 4 wisdom teeth pulled with a mouth full of cotton to catch the blood. Try telling your mom that JFK was shit and killed. Well I got her attention and asked her to follow me. She did. Now imagine trying to tell her when you can't say a word clear. I will always remember that day.

 

[PSTORRS]

My son's birth. He was 3 months premature and MADE IT

 

[techgrandma]

I remember watching JFK's funeral on our B&W TV. My Mom used our movie camera to film it for my Dad to watch since he was at work. I was only 4 and didn't really know what was happening or the effect that would happen to the world and our country.
I also remember a day in 2011, I was 42 and an elementary school library media teacher. I didn't have a class the first period of the day so I was working in my library. A classroom teacher came running into the library and told me to turn on the TV. We stood there and were mesmerized watching the reporting about the planes hitting the towers and what was happening in NY. More and more people started joining us. Most of the people who was not assigned a group of students at that time ended up in the library watching what was happening. Very soon the principal joined us and told us what the district wanted schools to do in to deal with this emergency. Parents started arriving to pick up students. We were to go to the classroom the child was in and have them get their items to go home and walk them to the front of the school where the parent signed them out. I don't know how long this continued, but it felt like forever. I had a husband working at a local Army base, 2 children is school - 1 HS and 1 MS. I also had one at college. It was very hard because I had a job to do, but wanted to make sure they were alright too. When I got a cell phone call from my daughter in HS she told me they had all been evacuated and were sitting in the stadium until parents arrived or could release them via phone. I got her released and sent her to the MS to get her brother. They were directed to go home and call me when they get there. I also asked them to call me when they heard from their father and sister. We were soon released from the school, people with young children were released first and since I had a 30 minute drive home I was one of those. I prayed the whole way home. My ending was a positive one with my entire family, even extended family, was safe. It was hard going back to school later and hearing the stories of other faculty members and students families who were effected in different ways. I still remember my feeling I had during that time and remember it every year.

 

[jjfer123]

I will never forget living on the island of Oahu and celebrating Hawaii becoming a state. I was a kid and really didn’t understand what it meant other than movies costing 25center instead of 10 cents

 

[sudy]

The day Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968 just 5 years after his brother President John F. Kennedy was assassated. I was home with my 3 children while my husband was in Washington working for Bobby. Airports were closed so he could not get home for a few days . A terrible day for me and the nation.

 

[zoer]

The day JFK was assassinated. What a horrible day. Watched all the news coverage & then the funeral.

 

[babycakes]

I remember walking to my car for work when they broadcast the twin towers were hit. 911 will always be remembered. I was living in Virginia at the time in Westmoreland county. Our first responders left town not knowing would happen.

 

[senior71]

We were all at recess when the principal announced JFK had been assassinated. It is stamped in my head and I'll always remember that sad, sad day.

 

[Let'splay]

there are two things I will never ever forget! #1 , when President Kennedy was assasinated! #2, 9/11

 

[Hazeleyes]

I was working at 40 Worth Street in Manhattan when the planes hit the twin towers. I can never forget that day. I was yelling for the plane to move up or move over like it would actually hear me or care. Paper, glass, people all falling out of the building. What a horrible site.
Had to stay at the job site to make sure employees were all accounted for. We were finally allowed to leave. I was so grateful to get a ride uptown with our IT person. (It was 7 of us packed in a Prius. I sat on the front sitting on the console.) Saw one tower fall from rear view mirror as we were drove uptown. We hung out at his mom’s apartment. We all Finally went to get something to eat and well we all pooled whatever money we had together as the credit card machine was not working. When the bridges and roadways were open Ron dropped us off at different locations or at our houses. I had him drop me off at an exit and walked the rest of the way home as it is only about 16 blocks .

 

[Pikkumummu#3]

I saw the 9-11 as it happened . Working at University. Of WI. Saw it on Student Sadie's TV, since so he had her dorm door open, so she let me watch it with her. I stood in her door way. Sadie first thought a bomb caused it, but later saw it was a plane. Also when John F Kennedy was shot, my brother -in-law called to tell me, so watched it on Neighbor, the Lantto's TV since ours wasn't working

 

[tennis]

I have memorable days . the shooting of JFK. I was in 8th grade class room when we were told. The first man to walk on the moon. The day of 9-11. So many loss of lives. so many families effected, either by being in those buildings or the rescuers that later lost their lives because of the conditions at the site rescuing people trapped. the Dogs that also sacrificed for the reasons of saving others. History has such horrible times. I remember my Dad not being in my life, as a small child, not knowing that he was fighting in the wars for our freedom.