20 years later: An update on the orphans of Oklahoma City

April 22, 2015 — Twenty years ago this month, domestic terrorists set off a powerful car bomb outside of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

It killed 168 people and seriously injured 680 others. Among them were HUD employees, Secret Service personnel, the FBI, Social Security, IRS and just about every other federal agency you can think of.

They were targeted for death because they worked for the federal government. Plain and simple.

Nineteen of the dead were children in the America’s Kid Day Care Center in the building. One hundred and ninety nine children — including one who was born after the attack — lost at least one parent to the explosion and collapse of the building.

The Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund was one of the first outside groups to go to Oklahoma City. It supplied money and help to families too numb with grief to function. To buy food. Or pay a bill. Or walk the dog.

It was immediately decided, although FEEA didn’t have the funds, to set up a full-ride scholarship fund for the children who ranged from young adults to an unborn boy.

So how did FEEA do it? What was it like herding 200 children through college? Where did they go? How did they do? What career paths did they take? How can you help, even now?

On today’s “Your Turn” radio show, we’ll talk with Steve Bauer about the ups and downs, the joys and heartaches of having 200 very special kids in college.

That’s 10 a.m. at www.federalnewsradio.com or, in the D.C. area you can listen at 1500 AM.

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