20 Comments
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Barbara at Projectkin's avatar

Oh, Lori, what brilliance you bring to such stories. No wonder Texas in March means so much to you. 💔

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Paul Chiddicks's avatar

This brought tears to my eyes and a story that is close to my heart. Incredibly powerful thank you for sharing this with us Lori

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Genealogy Just Ask - Robin's avatar

I love your photo of your first official book signing!

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Stacey Sherman's avatar

Really enjoyed reading this and getting a small glimpse into your beginnings as a lost stories writer. While the story itself was impactful, what really struck me is just how you were "accidentally" led to it. Had you not gotten off the highway to visit the first museum, had it been open, and you not met the "stranger" who directed you to the New London Museum, these stories and history would (more than likely) never been have compiled into a such a wonderful book! And, that you had you had the intuition, curiosity, and drive to dig deeper - and not view it as just interesting history - truly means you were meant/led to be the one to write it! Thanks for sharing~

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Robin du Plessis's avatar

I'm a native Texan and I don't remember ever hearing this story growing up. Reading your post here brought back to me that a few years ago I read about the New London school explosion, maybe in a Texas themed magazine.

Such a tragic story if this school and community.

Thank you for bringing it to light again.

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Lori Olson White's avatar

Thanks, Robin. It was highly reported at the time, but then people sort of shut down and refused to talk about it for decades. Even when I was there, a lot of folks couldn't talk about it, in part because it was so traumatic, but also because they'd blocked out the memories.

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Anne’s Family History's avatar

I am glad you captured their stories with input from those that survived.

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Lori Olson White's avatar

Me too. The survivors, their family members, some of the oilfield workers and their family members and some members of the community all added their stories - it was remarkable.

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Jane Chapman's avatar

This one brought tears to my eyes! It must have been difficult feeling the weight of telling the stories well and in a way that did justice to those who died and those who were left behind and, also, extremely satisfying to complete a task well done. And to think that it may not have been found by you (and hence written about by you) if that first museum had been open - Serendipity!

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Lori Olson White's avatar

Thanks, @Jane Chapman - it’s a powerful story and one I’m reworking to fit here on Substack. 🤞🏻

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Mary Rolf's avatar

What an incredible experience to be able to write a story and sign the book at the museum and reunion. It must have been difficult and rewarding!

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Lori Olson White's avatar

Thanks, @Mary Rolf - it was both and then some! But so worth it .

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Jill Swenson's avatar

To be a witness to the survivors of this tragedy of which I'd never heard is a heavy responsibility. Thanks for sharing their story and yours!

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David Shaw's avatar

You were meant to tell that story.

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Marci Keats Rudolph 🇨🇦's avatar

Lori! I can’t imagine how you got through all your research and interviews. You did. And in the evidence of your book you brought the crux of community tragedy and the aftermath to the awareness of the rest of us. Courage is sewn into your post.

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Lori Olson White's avatar

Thanks, @Marci, it was a long time ago, but the memories are still at the edges of everything I do.

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Crystal Lorimor's avatar

Thank you for sharing this.

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Kyla Bayang's avatar

Wow Lori. Beautifully written. Thank you for sharing and for following through on such an important calling to help them process and to tell their stories. Its an honor to those that passed that you have given their stories to us all.

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David Prater's avatar

This is really interesting! Great to read a genuine "origin" story.

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Bill Moore's avatar

Amazing story. Thanks for telling it.

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