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Archiver > KERN > 1999-04 > 0924533902


From: "hilnders" <>
Subject: [KERN-L] Orange County Genealogical SocietyResearchers in SLC
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 07:58:22 -0700


This story has been forwarded to several lists, but is so touching that I
feel everyone should have a chance to read it. Anyone of us could have been
in this situation and with the exception of the gunman himself, everyone
involved has acted in such wonderful ways. It can't be easy dealing with
any crisis, but these people and those who graciously came to their aid have
come through with flying colors.

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Jean sent you a message last week that we were going to the Family
History Library in SLC to do research. Thank God for the bravery and
leadership of staff member John Beebe and others. I was less than
twenty feet from the gunman when he started shooting. When they
evacuated us from the first floor it was at least 45 minutes before
they evacuated the second basement where Jean was locked in an office
with other researchers and staff praying. You can imagine my fear and
anxiety for that time. After an hour or so the police directed us
across the street to Abravonal Hall, a concert hall where we could
reunite with missing loved ones and group members. There were still
13 of our 40 member group from Orange County California Genealogical
Society missing. Within half an hour of getting there local catering
companies had hot lunch buffet tables set up and the staff members
from the library where there serving us, perhaps 500 to a thousand,
free food. they responded immediately to the need without thinking of
the cost. Our group was asked to meet in the lobby and a very young,
perhaps twenty, year old man with a badge that said LDS Services
listened to our stories. There was little he could do other than get
us the current information as best he could and to listen. In the
library at the time of the crises there was no screaming of panic;
under the leadership of Mr. Beebe we were evacuated safely and
orderly. Of course people were terrified, but everything was orderly.
That night at dinner the waitress overheard us talking and said she
was spouse to one of the swat team in the crises. She gave us free
desserts and said in this small way she could comfort us. Saturday
morning when Jean and I went into the library to get our things it was
very somber. As we left out the back door Jean was crying and a LDS
staff lady came up to us and asked if there was anything she could do
to help. The all were so kind and caring. For my part I'd like to
point out that this kind of tragedy can happen at any time and any
place when one is dealing with a mentally unstable person. As I have
pieced together the stories of others present I realized how any one
of us could have been harmed had Mr. Beebe not acted in his courageous
manner. Today in the paper I read that he (and his wife) do not
consider themselves heroes. The honor goes to God for giving him the
strength to do what he did..He was shot at three times, once literally
splitting the hair on his head. I choose to emphasize the strength of
the human spirit that pulls people together in time of crises. I'm
sure there were over a thousand people in the library when this
occurred. This community, and especially those members of the LDS
church were outstanding in their helpfulness to those in need. I am
not Mormon, but want to give these people the credit they deserve. If
it is in your tradition, I ask you to pray for those that have
suffered loss or fear from this ordeal. I have spoken with several
that do not intend to return to SLC again because of the fear. thank
you for indulging my rambling and excuse my spelling.

Marcus Partlow & Jean McCombs

TTFN, Lynda

Lynda's Genealogy Homepage
http://www.pe.net/~hilnder

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