Oral history interview with Lauren M. Brown conducted by Claytee D. White on February 21, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Lauren M. Brown discusses her history with Las Vegas, Nevada, starting from when she moved to the city in 1997. She describes her experience as one of the many who stood in line to donate blood on October 2, 2017, the day after the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting. Brown talks about what stood out on that day, including the overwhelming amount of people waiting to donate blood and the people who brought drinks and pastries for those waiting. She speaks about how that day showed her the heart of Las Vegas and changed her perspective of the city. Brown also discusses her correspondence with the Healing Garden to give ideas for the design of a permanent memorial for the tragedy.
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Oral history interview with Laura Sussman conducted by Barbara Tabach and Claytee D. White on March 15, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Laura Sussman, co-owner of Kraft-Sussman Funeral & Cremation Services, discusses the funeral home's role during the aftermath of the October 1, 2017 Las Vegas, Nevada mass shooting. She talks about the collaborated efforts of the funeral home and the coroner's office to care for the deceased, giving some details on the role of a coroner and the specific cases the funeral home was in charge of. Along with the victims, she discusses the potential cremation they were asked to do of the shooter. Throughout the interview, Sussman emphasizes the funeral home's goal of providing support to the families of the deceased.
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Oral history interview with Jill Roberts conducted by Barbara Tabach and Claytee D. White on March 20, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Jill Roberts discusses her position as the CEO of the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) of Southern Nevada. She also delves into her part-time work at the coroner's office as a death investigator and discusses her personal background in Las Vegas, Nevada after she moved to the city in 1977. She describes the role TIP had during the aftermath of the October 1, 2017 mass shooting, where well-trained volunteers were dispatched to hotels, hospitals, and anywhere else the survivors reached in order to provide emotional and practical support. Throughout the interview, Roberts emphasizes that the assistance provided to those in a traumatic event depends on each individual's needs. She shares a few examples of what the TIP volunteers had helped with after the shooting, including listening to the survivors' stories as well as providing information on the situation, helping separated loved ones find each other, arranging travel for some survivors to go back to their homes, and procuring clothes and shoes for those who needed them. Roberts also discusses the gratitude TIP had received after the shooting, including the thank you cards sent by Sandy Hook High School.
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Oral history interview with Carol Frey conducted by Claytee D. White on March 30, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Carol Frey discusses her work as a volunteer for the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) of Southern Nevada. She specifically talks about the October 1, 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada and her volunteer efforts at one of the hospitals, where she provided support for survivors of the shooting, answering any questions they had, calling family members, arranging transport of loved ones to Las Vegas, and any other assistance that was needed, either emotional or practical. Throughout the interview, Frey discusses the moments that have stuck with her, including the gestures of gratitude the TIP volunteers had received from United Health Care employees and Sandy Hook High School students.
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Oral history interview with Diane Orgill conducted by Claytee D. White on March 30, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Diane Orgill, a volunteer with Red Cross, discusses her experience on the night of the October 1, 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. She speaks of her role as a Red Cross representative at the Emergency Operations Center and the efforts of the Red Cross command center to provide a sense of order in the chaos. She describes some of the support provided to the survivors through the Family Assistance Center and the Disaster Action Team, giving an in-depth explanation of how these sections of the Red Cross function.
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Oral history with Chris Davis, Debbie Davis, and Mynda Smith conducted by Claytee D. White and Barbara Tabach on May 24, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Debbie and Chris Davis and Mynda Smith discuss the murder of their daughter and sister (respectively), Neysa Davis Tonks, at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival on October 1, 2017. They discuss plans to form Fifty-Eight Loved and Never Forgotten, a foundation to help educate the children of the 58 families affected that night. Neysa, a single mother, left behind three sons, 24, 18, and 15 years of age. The family members recall how they were first alerted to Neysa's death, and having to locate and identify her body at the coroner's office twenty-four hours later. Chris, David, and Mynda reflect on Neysa's life, her work, and legacy. Debbie, Chris, and Mynda believe that "darkness cannot exist in the presence of light. Neysa's light will shine forever."
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Oral history interview with Jessica Anderson conducted by Claytee D. White on March 7, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. Anderson begins talking about her early life, family, work history, and the reason why she had moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1991. She goes on to talk about the history of Outdoors Nevada where she currently works, and what she was doing the day of October 1, 2017. Anderson recalls how she found out about the shooting, reaching out to friends, and learning more about what happened that night. Anderson talks about the aftermath of the event, how it affected everyone involved, and the healing aspect afterwards. Lastly, she describes the process of creating the Healing Garden, the features of the garden, and the future plans for the area.
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Oral history interview with Mauricia Baca conducted by Claytee D. White on March 7, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. Mauricia Baca discusses her early life, her education, and her experiences living in New York City, New York before she moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. She also relates her experiences on and after the 1 October mass shooting. Baca relates information on her agency, Get Outdoors Nevada. Baca shares how her agency worked with the City of Las Vegas in the construction and operation of the Healing Garden. Finally, she discusses the book she helped author regarding 1 October.
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Oral history interview with Charles Lee Hank III conducted by Claytee D. White and Barbara Tabach on April 10, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project.
Charles Lee Hank III describes his experience with police growing up in Chicago and the dichotomy he feels now as a police officer for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LV Metro). Hank discusses the events of the October 1 shooting at the Route 91 Festival, the chaotic experience he and other officers experienced as they looked for the shooter in the Mandalay Bay, and the aftermath as a member of the Las Vegas community and as an officer of LV Metro.
Subjects discussed include: Las Vegas Strip Area Command.
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Oral history interview with Gregory Koehler conducted by Claytee D. White on May 15, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. Koehler begins talking about his family, early life, and occupation. He explains the line of jobs he has had, his history with firefighting, and how he moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2003. Koehler then recalls how he had attended the Route 91 Festival concert and the events that unfolded during the shooting. He describes what he saw, felt, and how he tried to help the people who were shot. Lastly, he talks about the aftermath of the event and the struggles he had gone through.
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