1996 Olympic Bombing: Beyond My Father’s View
By: Angelina Giusto
Embedded Files
In the summer of 1996, a traumatic event happened at the Olympic Games in Atlanta and left a strong mark on families all over the world, including mine. My father's whole life could have been changed by just this one event that he was lucky to miss by only a few hours.
My Father, Matthew Giusto, as Team USA at Nationals in 1996: Olympedia
My Father's Side of the Story
My father had been at the Games a few weeks before getting checked in, but since he wasn't competing for about two more weeks, he decided to fly back home to train. The night before his flight back to Atlanta, the news was going crazy about an apparent bombing at the Centennial Olympic Park, which was right around where the Games were held. Rumors were going around and no one confirmed if there was a bomb or not. With a 6 am flight the next day, my father woke up and the bombing was confirmed. He wasn't sure what was going to happen and if the Games were canceled, or if it was even safe for him to go there. After getting the OK from his coach, he flew into Atlanta that morning. Once he arrived, the security getting into the area of the Games was insane and the whole vibe of the area after this tragedy was "something he will never forget."
My father, Matt Giusto, competing in the 5,000 meters event:
Matt Giusto’s Photo
My father, Matt Giusto, finishing race in 1983:
Cross Country Express
The Infamous Park
I never realized how different my life could be, non-existent even, if my father was at the Games just a few hours earlier. The bombing at Centennial Olympic Park had a lasting impact on people all over the world. Centennial Olympic Park is a place for unity and celebration. People come from all over the world to celebrate the Games in many different ways. Centennial Olympic Park was built for the 1996 Olympics and is a place for social gatherings to join and unify the community. It is a main area in this community for various activities, including many different cultures and events. This park is a symbol of togetherness within the community and focuses on the joy and triumphs during the 1996 Olympic Games.
Olympic fans at a memorial for the reopening of the summer olympics, showing respect for the loses
The Atlanta Journal Constitution
View of Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia: Discover Atlanta
The Greater Impact
The impact of the Olympic Games gave this area significant inspiration to celebrate these amazing athletes and their achievements. Although the park brought people together to continue the same spirit throughout the games, the park also carries traumatic memories that many will never heal from. It creates a sense of community for some people, but an overwhelming wave of emotions for others. The 1996 Olympic Games was definitely an event to remember. During these summer games, all 197 national Olympic Committees were represented at the Games for the first in Olympic history. According to Georgia History, this was the largest event the city of Atlanta had ever hosted. Millions of dollars and tedious hours were put into preparation for the Games. New sports venues were built, streets and neighborhoods were renovated, and different housing styles were made. The games brought attention from all over the world to Atlanta. Preparation for the 1996 games took about 6 years due to the expansions and renovations they made to the city.
Tragedy Arrives
The opening ceremony was on July 19, 1996 where Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic cauldron to begin the whole competition. The full Olympic venue had many counterparts to it, where the Centennial Olympic Park came into play, adjacent to competition venues. Approximately 10,300 athletes were competing in the games and approximately 83,000 people came to watch these athletes. The Games continued through August 4, 1996, but tragedy of the bombing set off on July 27th.
Eric Robert Rudolph was just a regular-looking man whose religious beliefs led him to make life-taking and threatening decisions. He had landed working at a security firm part of AT&T, and they were a part of building a stage at one of the Olympic venues. While setting up at the stage, he went to a nearby bench in front of a tower, facing the AT&T stage, to place this backpack loaded with lethal objects. He was not suspected at first, as he was just a regular-looking man in the park; although, people who witnessed him at the park said they did notice this oddly large backpack he was holding. After people noticed this suspicious backpack under the bench sitting there for hours, and no one claimed it, they called in reinforcements. It was then declared as a suspicious package and the bomb team was called to the scene. With the suspicion of it being a possible bomb, people started to run towards the nearby tower to evacuate people from each floor. Just minutes later, the bomb went off. Approximately 111 people were injured and 2 killed. After years of the FBI dealing with this case, they concluded Eric Robert Rudolph was responsible for this. He later confessed to three other bombings in the years following the bombing at the Olympics.
The site of where the tragic bombing took place
The Atlanta Journal Constitution
27 Years Later
To this day, when I talk to my father about this event, it brings so many emotions and memories back to him. Although it was such an amazing accomplishment for him, a lot of the time it is hard to even celebrate this due to the horrible events happening at the same time. What made it even more special was how strong people were to continue and support the athletes competing, even when all this was happening. Despite the tragic losses, it caused many people to come together as one and keep each other strong. It also made my family, and I am sure the families of many of the other athletes, realize how lucky we are to have our loved ones still with us. It is important to realize how fortunate we are every day to be blessed with so many amazing people and opportunities right in front of us. I recognize how thankful I am for having my father with me here today, and I wouldn’t be who I am without him.
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