By FireRescue1 Staff
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The firefighter captured in the iconic Oklahoma City bombing photo retired this week, and reflected on the call that is “still tough to talk about.”
Firefighter Chris Fields said the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing was a call that will always stick with him. The 31-year veteran said he was at the fire station when he heard and felt the bombing.
“We looked outside and saw the plume of smoke and self dispatched ourselves,” Fields told FOX6.
When Fields arrived on scene, a police officer handed him a critical infant, a moment that became an unforgettable image representing the bombing. The photo remains a centerpiece at the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.
Fields, a father of two, said, “It’s always worse when it involves a child. When you have kids, it affects you a little more.” Fields also said he struggled with the call and being under the spotlight.
“I didn’t like being singled out. There were a lot of heroes that day,” he said.
The 1-year-old was the daughter of Aren Almon Kok, who said seeing the photo was devastating. Following the bombing, Kok and Fields formed a friendship and have remained close over the years.
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