Mark Junge: Okay. Eventually, Young stepped away to the restroom, leaving the bomb detonator tied to Doriss wrist. Rich Haskell: I am. And that's exactly what took place in Cokeville. cokeville miracle debunked David returns to the bathroom where he kills himself, making him and Doris the only two to be killed during this event. WyoHistory.org welcomes the support of the following sponsors. Because it was sittin' low enough and the kids were low enough that it would have done it. Rich Haskell: I was cookin' right along, yes I was! Young grew increasingly agitated as the afternoon wore on. And on the set there were many people who were real survivors of that event. WebRetrouvez nous sur nos rseaux. [5][10][8], When the bomb detonated, the majority of the explosive force was channeled through loose ceiling tiles into the roof, and open windows acting as vents. It killed her instantly. Shed been dead for three or four years.. Which is hard to believe, but a positive experience in that they learned something. I'd like to think so. The subsequent police report states that David opened the door from the connecting bathroom, shot his injured wife in the head and killed her,[9] shot and wounded John Miller, a music teacher who was trying to flee, then closed the bathroom door and killed himself with a shot from a .45 pistol to the head. Returning, David Young shot his wife, then himself. Christensen, tells the true story of what occurred that day and afterward as the town begins to hear accounts from the children, Investigators discovered that wires to three of the bombs five blasting caps had been mysteriously cut, preventing detonation. Rich Haskell: I don't know the birthdates but I know the names. President Hinkley, President Monson, and President Faust. The three walk into the school undetected, and announce to their secretary, Christina Cook (Jillette Dayton), their plan. There was no give in the school bus. Ron then overhears some words the bishop, John Teichart (Shawn Stevens), is saying in a class. Vengeance for having been fired did not seem to have been the motive, but rather a philosophy recorded in journal entries referring to a Brave New World where he wanted to reign over intelligent children. That bomb should have leveled the wing of this school, but it looks like the bomb blast went straight up. Ron begins to return to Cokeville, when he is informed of the hostage situation. Rich Haskell: No, it's not. The true miracle was not that I survived or that the third-degree burns I suffered healed without a traceit was that I learned I was not alone in the world.. When he said that, it lined up with the physical evidence. Frantic parents, gathered behind police barricades, cried out for their children as police officers ran toward the school. Soon, more victims began to arrive, and Williams learned that two priesthood holders were offering blessings, so she asked for one. Then when I became a deputy, Sheriff Stark says, "You know, we're going to start finding a bunch of old explosives, dynamite and things. Well, he had went into the bathroom and she was out with the bomb, and they said she was complaining of a migraine headache. Mark Junge: You had some bullets in the ceiling that you had to investigate, too. Rich Haskell: I don't know. The gasoline bottle was leaking. Rich Haskell: Yeah, I think I did. She has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals on the history and heritage of Germans from Russia on the Northern Plains. While we have made every effort to avoid graphic language,this article might be disturbing for some readers. Deppe and Mendenhall refuse to cooperate, and David handcuffs them in the back of his van. When the thing went off, when the bomb exploded, they just started chuckin' people out the windows. We pressed forward knowing that Heavenly Father wants this storytold, and that the benefits would far outweigh the hardships., I hope that people come away from the film impressed by the power of prayer, that if they have not been using prayer in their lives, they would start, says Christensen. Words emphasized by the speaker are italicized.~Transcribed by Russ Sherwin, Feb. 27, 2011. Kneeling, we bowed our heads and folded ourarms. results in the deaths of perpetrators David and Doris Young; 154 hostages survive. As I sat there and watched him, I could feel he was becoming agitated. Young, a former Cokeville town marshall fired for misconduct years earlier, had returned to start a revolution and create a brave new world where he would be leader. WebThe Cokeville Miracle streaming: where to watch online? The movie's second half looks at the aftermath once the bomb goes off, as the town sheriff (Jasen Wade) interviews hostages and tries to grasp what happened. Mark Junge: You think when we talk to you to bring this up againI know you're emotional about itbut does it hurt you to talk about this? Webthe cokeville miracle debunked. No, this is something that people need to know about. With fear that David might become unhinged, the teachers decided to make an ~8-foot square of masking tape for his own personal space. And then what? In May 1986, cop Ron Hartley (Jasen Wade) is at a crime scene, during which two people were murdered. This page was last edited on 12 April 2023, at 17:27. He also allowed teachers to keep their classes together to help them stay calm. one hostage asks Doris. He says that hatred will not be the answer but prayer will. Wade has also played the leading roles of Levi Savage in the film 17 Miracles and Bud Curtis in Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed. One of the teachers convinces David to let them open the doors and windows. Rich Haskell: You know, with 33 years of law enforcement, I've seen a lot of things. Anything? She is a trained rural historian who specializes in oral history, childhood history and memory studies. My mom then told us that she was her momour grandma who had died whenmy mom was 15 years old., Jennie Sorensen Johnson, a first-grade survivor, had a similar experience. Ron and Claudia both talk to Jason, who then tells him "there were other people in the room." Nearly three decades since the miraculous events transpired in the tiny town of Cokeville, Wyoming, movie producer T.C. She didnt tell me her name, but I think it was Grandma Meister. This was exactly what I was looking for. I received a telephone call from my dispatcher informing me that an incident had taken place up in Cokeville and they were requesting me to drive to Cokeville for assistance. Rich Haskell: Yes. Based on a true story, children held hostage tell stories of miracles, but adults are skeptical that the Cokeville Miracle ever truly happened. WebHis latest, The Cokeville Miracle (read my review), portrays the events of a 1986 elementary school bombing, in which multiple children witnessed angels protecting them. ", About 2 1/2 hours into the standoff, David transferred the triggering mechanism of the bomb to Doris' wrist, and went to a small bathroom that connected the first and second grade rooms. Cindy and Jason notice him and run to him, and he asks for their forgiveness as well. Windows were opened to rid the room of gasoline fumes, and prayers were offered in small groups among the children. You see the bag ladies pullin' them around behind them when they go to the store and they can put their groceries in or whatever else. I hope people believe that if God intervened and helped these people, maybe He can intervene and help them with the problems in their lives, too.. My face was completely unrecognizable, she recalls. Ron, on the same day, travels to help his brother with some issues, while Cindy and Jason go to the school. They messed with the kids and that brought a whole communityin fact, it brought the whole western half of the state all together. Drama Family History Children who were held hostage in their elementary school tell stories of miraculous things, but many adults are skeptical that the Cokeville And then he shot himself. [13], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}420457N 1105719W / 42.08250N 110.95528W / 42.08250; -110.95528. Virginia Tech, it wasn't that way. In what is called The Cokeville Miracle, the lives of the children and teachers were miraculously spared. People of all faiths were blessed by the event, he explains. Christensen ("17 Miracles") paces the tension of the first half sharply and handles the spiritual message thoughtfully as the lawman wrestles with his faith through. Mark Junge: Well, you've been blessed in a lot of ways. When Jason puts his foot inside the magic square, David loses control and yells at Jason, who doesnt flinch. [6] With permission, the teachers brought in books, art supplies and a television to help keep the children occupied. If I deleted an entire phrase, I have inserted ellipses . Meyer) is more wary. That's why I have a computer. She tied the string around her wrist. It was just shootin' everywhere. Mark Junge: No? I walked into the bathroom and there was the suspect that had started this whole mess, layin' there on the floor with ahe had a pistol in his hand and you could tell he had shot himself in the head. I felt deep peace. The Cokeville Miracle - theatrical trailer. That, I think, shows my gratitude., We can find small miracles in our everyday lives, adds Johnson. He is traumatized from the experience and begins to question the beliefs of his religion. Experience the powerful true story of The Cokeville Miracle for yourself. Furthermore, the explosive powder that should have lit the air on fire had been miraculously hindered from its deadly purpose, thanks to the leaking gasoline. WebOn May 16, 1986 in the sleepy town of Cokeville, Wyoming, a madman took an entire elementary school hostage. People who had guns! WebKatie Walker tells the story of what she saw that day, and why it's important to have pictures of your ancestors. Its not that we are better or more special than someone elseits not that God loved us more. Prayer and Miracles: Cokeville Bombing Lessons Told to a Columbine Survivor As a society we tend to talk around or mock prayer and having faith in God. And it was a perfect trajectory up into the ceiling where that bullet was. Too many of 'em to try to remember their birthdays. Barta Heiner as Verlene Bennion, an elderly teacher at Cokeville Elementary who suffers from smoke inhalation after the bomb goes off. That's not uncommon in films of this nature, but Christensen is unable to make the movie feel like anything more than propaganda. Go to school and learn how to do it." June 3, 2015 A woman came into Kam Wixoms six grade classroom in Cokeville, Wyoming on I looked in the center of the room and all I could see was fire., There were flames all over the room and children screamingjust pandemonium, recalls Carol Petersen, a second grade teacher at the time. I dont remember her saying anything to me, but I trusted and followed her out of the burning room. The detonation didn't do it, it was cut. Mark Junge: This bomb was designed to do what? Wielding a homemade bomb and several guns, the Youngs took staff members hostage as they made their way to the first-grade classroom. Hewalked across the room and the bomb detonated.. I didn't look at the speedometer, I was just kind of watchin' for animals and everything else. Yeah, we didn't get a lot of sleep. Rich Haskell: Pretty sophisticated guy is what he was. And he demanded a ransom of $2 million per child. I looked down for a second, and when I looked back up, she was gone. The square serves as a boundary between the bomb and the children. Mark Junge: Did you find the bullet that killed him, too? T.C. I immediately went into rendering safehe had brought in several devices with him to place in different places in the room, and there was a lot of ammunition, a lot of guns out in the hallway, and I immediately started rendering all those safe, making sure that those were safe and they could move them out of the building. And he had to defuse bombs. For more information about our sponsors and the people behind WyoHistory.org, visit our About Us page: Hostage crisis at the elementary school in Cokeville, Wyo. You just do whatever you have to do and get up there." Certified Bomb Technician. You know, the kids have forgot about it, let's let 'em move on. Doris then manipulates the rest of the school to go into Room 4, telling them "a surprise" waits for them. He had been aware of above-average achievement scores from Cokeville's education system. Meanwhile, Doris went from classroom to classroom, luring 136 children, six faculty, nine teachers, and three other adults, including a job applicant and a UPS driver, into a first-grade classroom for a total of 154 hostages. The Cokeville Town Hall is located at 110 Pine St. For more information, visit the website of the Cokeville Chamber of Commerce at http://www.cokevillewy.com or call (307) 459-4195. He visits the investigating certified bomb expert, Rich Haskell (Rick Macy), from Sherrif's office in Rock Springs, who tells him that three of the five wires in the bomb were mysteriously cut; not broken, but cut clean. Eight months later, Payne learned who the woman in white was when her mother pulled out an old locket. Whenever they would come to Wyoming I would be part of their security team. Sue Castaneda: Did you look at (unintelligible). The knowledge of their experiences has shaped my life personally, and now with this movie, even more lives can be blessed with the knowledge of what help there is from the other side, he says. The police take the three for questioning, while they start informing the families. . Of course, I can imagine the noise that it made. They learned to trust in their God, the kids were healed for the most part, and they value life more now. I said, I dont know where my children are! I was, and I still am, a certified bomb technician at the time, and I was, as far as I know, the only bomb technician in the southern half of the state of Wyoming. I believe what everybody else says and have faith that they saw what they saw. Cokeville Elementary School is located at 205 N. Sage St. in Cokeville. Rich Haskell: I took pictures of it. Mark Junge: Curious, Rich. This wasn't a simple bomb. There indeed was a miracle that happened that day. "[6] The two men eventually refused to participate in the event. We didn't know if the blasting caps were in therejust exactly what was in there. Mark Junge: Do you know the names and birthdates of all your grandchildren? When you do interrogations in law enforcement, you watch for body language. I'm currently the Sheriff of Sweetwater County. David had also sent a copy of the manifesto to Reagan. The Cokeville Elementary School hostage crisis occurred on Friday, May 16, 1986, in Cokeville, Wyoming, United States, when former town marshal David Young, 43, Now this is just for my own information and it doesn't have anything to do with this case, but whenever I read about a bomb threat in the paper, I think to myself, "Oh, no! These are designed to just spread out the particles all over the air. While chatting with one of the teachers, Doris accidentally triggers the bomb by gesturing with her hand. What had happenedI can't explain it. That dead-man switch is a piece of string that goes around your wrist and it's hooked into a clothespin, the other end of it. On Sunday, Jason refuses to attend church unless his dad does so as well. I kept telling my parents about the lady who had talked to me and that I didnt know who she was, she recalls. She's an avid genealogist, so maybe get involved with that, and maybe go on a mission for the church. [10][2][3] The injured were triaged to several area hospitals in Wyoming and Idaho.[2][3][11]. Wyoming has a lot of money as far as the state is concerned. The wire was cut. Go to their hands and knees and crawl out. The device was set up on afor lack of a better word, I call it a shopping cart. But he knew the culture, he knew the type of people, and I'm not sayin' that Mormon people are better than anybody else, but their way of life is family is first. This significantly mitigated the explosive power of the bomb. Number one, that's where he worked. Mark Junge: And you're sheriff in Sweetwater? As Johnson continued to attend Cokeville Elementary after the Cokeville miracle, she searched for the teacher who had helped her that day. Williamss skin began to heal at a rapid rate, and despite the severe burns, no scar tissue formed. Many of the extras in the film are children of those who were students at the time the bomb went off, Christensen explains. And we allthere was three of us there. I don't know what. Ron then goes to the youth room where they are singing "A Child's Prayer". Another fifth grader, Lori Nate Conger, also prayed with some of her classmates. The jug of gasoline had a pinhole-sized leak on its bottom. One of 'em was in Cokeville and one was in the bus that he did the experiment with. How do you argue that? With the explosionwhat occurred? [5] The leaking gasoline's fumes prompted teachers to open the classroom windows, unknowingly creating vents for the impending explosion. Recording and transcription by Wyoming State Archives. So there's doubt in your mind that there was divine intervention? The Cokeville Miracle is a 2015 drama film written & directed by T. C. Christensen[2] and starring Jasen Wade, Sarah Kent and Kimball Stinger. While he was gone, the unthinkable happenedDoris accidentally jerked the string and the bomb exploded. Mark Junge: But all of these holes were above the level of the children. I dont know where to go. Williams was baptized on August 16, 1989her 14th birthday. The circuit was powered by a 9-volt lantern battery. He arrives in town, rushing towards the school. To my right is Sue Castaneda who is the Wyoming Oral History Project Director, and across the table from me is Rich Haskell, who is a certified bomb technician. Thats my angel! And it wasnt Grandma Meisterit was my Grandma Elliott. I didnt even know whereto go or what to do. Conger continues, I found my older brother pretty quickly, and we just started walking toward our home. My name is Mark Junge and I'm here at the Hiltonis it the Hilton Hotel? Thats when Hartley asked his wife to get out the family photo album. Mark Junge: Today is the 23rd of September, 2010. 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One of the unique things that I noticed when I went into that room and I don't know if any of the other people have told you about it or whatever else, but when I walked into that room you could see the outline on the whiteboard of an angel. There were 134 children rounded up and was held hostage for several hours. (He would later recover.). Well, you know how fine that dust is. Well, when I arrived and saw that body layin' on the front lawn, I was told that was Doris. Mark Junge: Well, yes. Kind of a synopsis of what they were going to do and what their plans were and the whole thing. There was nothing extraordinary about her, just something weird.. Jessica Clark, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of history and political science at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs, Wyo. Christensens powerful film relates the true story of how deluded, self-proclaimed genius David Young (Nathan Stevens) took guns and a gasoline bomb into a Cokeville, Wyoming, elementary school in 1986. All the nurses cried as they cleaned my wounds, she says, and the doctor was talking to my parents about skin grafts and plastic surgery.. The story was also featured on Unsolved Mysteries, Unexplained Mysteries, and I Survived A movie about the incident, The Cokeville Miracle, was made by filmmaker T. C. Christensen and released on June 5, 2015. WebThe Cokeville Miracle. [8] This unintentionally activated the triggering mechanism and the bomb exploded, severely injuring Doris, and filling the room with black smoke and pockets of fire. The Cokeville Miracle Free with ads PG-13 YouTube Movies & TV 162M subscribers Subscribe 24K Children who were held hostage in their elementary school tell In other words, don't ask too many questions. [5] The wooden piece was tied to Doris' wrist by a string. Then they picked me up and told me to run, she says. Jasen Wade as Ron Hartley, the film's protagonist, one of the town's deputies who is questioning his faith as his children are taken hostage. I don't think that they were planningor David was planning on the ceiling tiles in the school. Stevens, who may be recognized for starring in the 1986 Church film Our Heavenly Fathers Plan, explains that his character embodies numerous people and does not represent a specific denomination. All rights reserved. Rich Haskell: And fourteen and a half great-grandchildren. 2 Recreation Board, Indigenous People in Wyoming and the West, Emergency Management Coordinator Kathy Davison on the 1986 Bombing of Cokeville Elementary School, EMT Glenna Walker, Mother of Three Young Children, on the 1986 Bombing of Cokeville Elementary School, Lead Investigator Ron Hartley, Father of Four Student Survivors, on the 1986 Bombing of Cokeville Elementary School, Public Works Director and Fireman Kevin Walker, Father of Three Young Children, on the 1986 bombing of Cokeville Elementary School, Secretary Tina Cook on the 1986 Bombing of Cokeville Elementary School, First grade teacher Janel Dayton on the 1986 bombing of Cokeville Elementary School, Second grade teacher Carol Petersen on the 1986 bombing of Cokeville Elementary School, Third grade student Rachel Walker Hollibaugh on the 1986 Bombing of Cokeville Elementary School, Third grade student Jamie Buckley King on the 1986 Bombing of Cokeville Elementary School, Fourth grade teacher Kliss Sparks on the 1986 bombing of Cokeville Elementary School, Fourth grade student LeaKae Roberts on the 1986 Bombing of Cokeville Elementary School, Green River Historic Preservation Commission, Natrona County Board of Cooperative Educational Services, Natrona County Recreation Joint Powers Board, Sublette County Historical Preservation Board, University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources, Casper Chapter, Wyoming Archaeological Society, June Frison chapter, Wyoming Archeological Society. For the first time, I remember thinking, Im safe. Its something I will never forget., Despite the explosion, all students and staff made it out alive; only David Young and his wife perished. Mark Junge: And you know, in Sue and I's conversation with these dozen people we've talked to now, seems like they also feel the same way you do. He has his two friends Gerald Deppe and Doyle Mendenhall (Channon Voyce and Paul Hunt) meet him in Cokeville. The teacher said, You dont have to know how. So I crawled over and folded my arms and bowed my head. NOTE: Witness to Miracles was published in 2006 by Pronghorn Press, www.pronghornpress.org . Mark Junge: They don't want it brought up again. There are also a couple scenes where parents are outside the school being held back by police. The magic of T.C.s vision is that its a film for everyone, adds actor Shawn Stevens, who plays the character of ecclesiastical leader John Teichert in the film. You have to think about what you're doing right at that particular time so you can stay focused on what you have to deal with. The miraculous events that followed transformed the lives of hundreds of people, including many who witnessed angels or received heavenly help from deceased ancestors. And that was their whole intent of coming to Cokeville. Rich Haskell: Yes, I did. She lured them by telling them there was either an emergency, a surprise, or an assembly there. PG-13. When I walked inside of the classroomit was a kindergarten classroom which meant that the desks were smaller, everything was smaller because of the smaller children. Meanwhile, David is travelling with Doris, buying groceries as materials. And it burned some children. Princess, Deppe, and Mendenhall were never charged in relation to this crime because of their refusal to participate.[6]. Rich Haskell: You walk into the door, and I don't know if you got to go into the classroom, but you walk into that door and it opens up into the whole thing. Mark Junge: That's a mighty powerful gun! Rich Haskell: Because of the response and because of the emails and everything that took place. The film debuted on June 5, 2015, in select theaters in Utah, and then across the United States. I told her I didnt know how to pray, she shares.
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