OCU breaking ground on Survivor Tree Memorial Plaza

Oklahoma Christian University breaks ground on the Survivor Tree Memorial Plaza this week.

EDMOND, Okla. (KFOR) — Oklahoma Christian University breaks ground on the Survivor Tree Memorial Plaza this week.

Construction will begin this week following the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday.

The Survivor Tree Memorial Plaza will be a place to remember and honor those who lost their lives in the Murrah Building and World Trade Center tragedies and to unite both OKC and NYC in solidarity.

OCU is the only other place in the world outside of New York City to have survivor trees side-by-side in remembrance of the tragic events.

Honored guests in attendance of the ceremony included OCU Chancellor John deSteiguer; Susan Walton, survivor of the OKC bombing; and Ron Vega, 9/11 recovery worker and Recovery Project executive for the NYC Dept. of Design and Construction.

“It’s good to have somebody that you can lean on, at this time of year, that understands
what you’re going through. Many people seem to think that we should move on, but there’s
always a trigger or something. You never know when that’s going to happen, and it’s good
to have someone here that understands and to lean on.”

Susan Walton, a survivor of the Oklahoma City bombing

The groundbreaking ceremony took place near the two survivor trees and included the Ralph Harvey Field of Flags, a yearly tradition that takes place to remember the fallen from both the OKC Murrah Bombing and NYC 9/11 attacks.

OCU displays 168 American flags and 168 Oklahoma flags in a silent vigil to honor the 168 individuals who died on that devastating day.

Tune into KFOR on Friday as we remember the tragedy of the OKC bombing.