"9:02 to 4:09": My Journey Beyond the Bombings Hardcover – March 8, 2026

A newlywed couple were in the midst of unsuccessful fertility treatments at a nearby center during the time of the Oklahoma City bombing which occurred at 9:02 am on April 19, 1995. The personal heartbreak and simultaneous loss of 15 children at the day care center in the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and its aftermath set a sorrowful resonating tone of great sadness, acceptance, and getting on with life for the veteran marathon runner and his wife. But the initial impact of the second aircraft at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 at 9:02:59 am assured that it would not be so. That is, until the Boston Marathon bombings on April 15, 2013. The clock at the finish line during the first explosion reminded him of his first marathon time of 4:09 in 1990. That "Hey You!" moment coupled with the death of an 8-year-old boy near the finish line and a very close date of the Oklahoma City bombing reignited long dormant reactions and emotions of 1995, and earlier life events. Thus began a passionate journey to reclaim the Boston and Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon finish lines in 2014 and 2016. This is the story of an Air Force Sergeant and his wife, of teddy bears and babies that weren't to be ... and of letting go!"It felt like we all had added our own page to local history, letting it be known that we also stood our ground here much like much like we did at nearby Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts on April 19, 1775. It was a continuation of the American spirit and resolve that no Oklahoma City, 9-11, or Boston bombers could ever truly destroy."- David Hamel Read more