The event that has become known as the Cokeville Miracle took place 33 years ago today.  It was Friday, May 16, 1986 when former town marshal David Young and his wife Doris Young took 136 children and 18 adults hostage at Cokeville Elementary School.

David Young entered the school with his wife transporting a large gasoline-filled device that appeared to be a bomb. The couple corralled a large group of students and teachers into a single classroom. David Young attached the bomb trigger to his wrist and threatened the group that he might, at any time, move his arm and ignite the bomb.

After a two-and-a-half hour standoff, the children were becoming restless, so the teachers led them in prayer. The praying appeared to make David Young agitated and he decided to leave the room.  Before leaving the room, David Young attached the bomb’s detonation device to his wife’s wrist.

When the children became increasingly loud, Doris Young began begging the teachers to settle the group down. At one point she lifted her arm sharply and the bomb went off prematurely, injuring Doris Young while David Young was out of the room. Returning to the scene, David Young shot his wife, then himself. All the hostages escaped, though 79 were later hospitalized with burns and injuries.

As part of the Weekday Wake-up this morning on Swift 98 and The Spur, listeners were asked where they were when the incident occurred and what they remember most as the events unfolded.  Below are their responses.  Feel free to add your memories to the comments below.

“I remember riding with my Dad in his old farm truck in Etna. We were listening to KRSV on the radio and we heard about the Cokeville School hostage situation. I was about 10 years old and I was very confused about the whole thing.”

“I was at the old Afton Fair grounds near the 4-H building, attending an upholstery class. We knew something big was going on when every emergency vehicle in town raced south with lights and sirens blazing. We just couldn’t believe the news as it trickled in that day.”

“I was at work in my shop & remember being glued to the radio as events took place. My heart ached for those involved.”

“My mom was a teacher there. I was at school in Laramie just finishing up my finals. And what I remember most is after all was done waiting to hear her voice to know for sure that she was OK. But the phone lines were so jammed up it took hours into the evening before I got to hear her voice and know that she was OK.”

“Seems it was like yesterday when that happened my brother and I had taken some bleachers out to Cokeville elementary and was on way back to Star Valley when all this happened.”

“Deb Wolfley was sheriff at the time.  He was there and I was home, making his birthday dinner, praying and hoping he would make it home to eat it!!!”

“I think the Cokeville bombing took place on a Friday because we were with some Scouts in the mouth of Spring Creek.   Robbin Sterling was the DJ on the radio.  Every 20 minutes we would go to a pickup and turn on the radio so we could hear what was going on.  Probably the biggest thing that I remember, is that after the bomb went off, and we would get updates, the lack of casualties we were shocked that the bomb went off and there were very few casualties. No deaths, mostly just injuries.”