HUSBAND STEVE WILLIAMS SHARED A LOVE OF BASKETBALL. WE WENT TO OKLAHOMA STATE BASKETBALL GAMES TOGETHER, AND SO I WAS IN COLLEGE, AND HE WOULD HE AND MY MOM HAD SEASON TICKETS, BUT SOMETIMES HE WOULD JUST HE WOULD DRIVE UP AND I WOULD SIT IN IN MY MOM’S SEAT AND I WOULD GO WITH HIM. AND SOMETIMES I’D GO WITH MY MOM. THOSE EXPERIENCES WERE CUT SHORT ON APRIL 19TH, 1995. HER DAD WORKED AT THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE IN THE FEDERAL BUILDING DOWNTOWN, AND WAS ONE OF THE 168 PEOPLE KILLED IN THE BOMBING. NOW SHE FELT THOSE CHERISHED MEMORIES WITH HIM MORE THAN EVER THIS SEASON, AFTER SEEING JUST HOW WELL THE THUNDER PROGRESSED. I JUST KEPT THINKING OVER AND OVER TO MYSELF HOW MUCH MY DAD WOULD HAVE LOVED WATCHING THEM PLAY. AND ESPECIALLY THE FACT THAT OUR PLAYERS ARE JUST THEY’RE SUCH WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND SUCH GREAT GUYS. IT’S WHY SHE TOOK A THUNDER SHIRT, WROTE A MESSAGE TO HER DAD AND PUT IT ON HIS MEMORIAL CHAIR AT THE MUSEUM LAWN. ALL RIGHT, BEFORE THAT GAME SEVEN WIN THAT MADE THE THUNDER NBA CHAMPIONS. I JUST I WANTED TO I WANTED MY DAD TO BE IN THE FEEL LIKE HE WAS IN THE ARENA WITH ME. AND I WANTED TO MAKE THAT GESTURE AND AND JUST IT WAS VERY SYMBOLIC OF ME SORT OF, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE HE WAS PART OF IT. AND A PICTURE OF THAT GESTURE HAS SINCE GONE VIRAL. VERY HUMBLING. AND IT’S IT’S MIND BOGGLING THAT IT HAS HAD BEEN SO WELL RECEIVED. IT’S NOT THE ONLY PICTURE TAKEN AT THE SACRED SITE THIS WEEK THAT WILL LIVE FOREVER. A PICTURE OF NBA VP, SGA HIMSELF WITH HIS ARMS OUTSTRETCHED, HAS SPOKEN TO SO MANY IN OUR CITY AND WILL SOON LIVE ON AS A REMINDER OF JUST HOW FAR OKC HAS COME. WE HAVE REBUILT THE CITY BLOCK BY BLOCK, STORY BY STORY, PERSON BY PERSON. JUST A DAY AT A TIME. AND IT’S SYMBOLIC OF ANY OF OUR LIVES AS WE’VE GONE THROUGH TRAUMA, REBUILDING IT AND PUTTING IT BACK. AND THAT’S THAT’S A SYMBOL FOR OUR CITY. IT’S A SYMBOL FOR OUR CITY THAT WILL SOON LIVE ON IN THE MEMORIAL AS WELL. STANDING THROUGH THE TEST OF TIME, WE’LL PUT THAT PICTURE IN THE MUSEUM THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AS WE WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS OF OF GETTING THAT IMAGE AND AND PUTTING IT ON A MUSEUM PANEL AND TELLING THE STORY OF OF WHAT WE’VE JUST TALKED ABOUT, OF JUST MOVING FORWARD, BUT NEVER FORGETTIN
Oklahoma City Thunder’s championship win inspires heartfelt tributes
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s NBA championship victory has led to emotional tributes at the Oklahoma National Memorial and Museum, connecting past memories with present triumphs.
Updated: 10:53 AM CDT Jun 26, 2025
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s NBA championship victory has inspired emotional tributes at the Oklahoma National Memorial and Museum, highlighting the city’s resilience and progress. Sara Sweet, an Oklahoma City resident, shared her cherished memories of attending basketball games with her father, Steve Williams. “We went to Oklahoma State basketball games together. And so, I was in college, and he would he and my mom had season tickets, but sometimes he would just, he would drive up and I would sit in in my mom’s seat, and I would go with him, and sometimes I’d go with my mom,” Sweet said.Those experiences were cut short on April 19, 1995, as Williams worked at the Social Security office at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and was one of the 168 people killed in the Oklahoma City bombing. Video Below: Fans reflect on city’s growth as Thunder parade passes OKC National Memorial and MuseumNow, Sweet felt those cherished memories with him more than ever this season after seeing just how well the Thunder progressed.”I just kept thinking over and over to myself how much my dad would have loved watching them play. And especially the fact that our players are just they’re such wonderful people and such great guys,” she said. To honor her father, Sweet placed a Thunder shirt with a message to him on the memorial chair at the museum lawn before the Thunder’s Game 7 win. “I just wanted to, one of my dad to be in the feel, like, he was in the arena with me, and I wanted to make that gesture and, and just it was very symbolic of me, sort of, you know, making sure he was part of it,” Sweet said. The picture of her tribute has since gone viral, which Sweet described as “very humbling” and “mind-boggling that it has had been so well received.”Another poignant image captured at the memorial this week features NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with his arms outstretched, symbolizing Oklahoma City’s journey and resilience. Video Below: Fans witness history during OKC Thunder’s championship parade”We have rebuilt this city block by block, story by story, person by person, just a day to time. And it’s symbolic of any of our lives. It’s gone through trauma, rebuilding it, putting it back. And that’s, that’s a symbol for our city,” said Kari Watkins, CEO of the Oklahoma Bombing National Memorial and MuseumWatkins announced that the picture of Gilgeous-Alexander will be added to the museum in the coming weeks, serving as a lasting reminder of the city’s progress. “We’ll put that picture in the museum the next couple of weeks as we walk through the process of getting that image and, and put in a museum and telling the story of what we’ve just talked about, it just moving forward. But never forgetting,” Watkins said.Top HeadlinesWhat to know before investing in cryptocurrencyLong line of Thunder fans wraps around OKC Raising Cane’s before Alex Caruso works ‘shift’TIMELINE: Storms with a severe weather risk return to Oklahoma on ThursdayIran’s supreme leader makes first public statement since ceasefire declared in Israel-Iran conflictThunder star Alex Caruso to work ‘shift’ at Oklahoma City Raising Cane’s location on Thursday
OKLAHOMA CITY —
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s NBA championship victory has inspired emotional tributes at the Oklahoma National Memorial and Museum, highlighting the city’s resilience and progress.
Sara Sweet, an Oklahoma City resident, shared her cherished memories of attending basketball games with her father, Steve Williams.
“We went to Oklahoma State basketball games together. And so, I was in college, and he would he and my mom had season tickets, but sometimes he would just, he would drive up and I would sit in in my mom’s seat, and I would go with him, and sometimes I’d go with my mom,” Sweet said.
Those experiences were cut short on April 19, 1995, as Williams worked at the Social Security office at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and was one of the 168 people killed in the Oklahoma City bombing.
Video Below: Fans reflect on city’s growth as Thunder parade passes OKC National Memorial and Museum
Now, Sweet felt those cherished memories with him more than ever this season after seeing just how well the Thunder progressed.
“I just kept thinking over and over to myself how much my dad would have loved watching them play. And especially the fact that our players are just they’re such wonderful people and such great guys,” she said.
To honor her father, Sweet placed a Thunder shirt with a message to him on the memorial chair at the museum lawn before the Thunder’s Game 7 win.
“I just wanted to, one of my dad to be in the feel, like, he was in the arena with me, and I wanted to make that gesture and, and just it was very symbolic of me, sort of, you know, making sure he was part of it,” Sweet said.
The picture of her tribute has since gone viral, which Sweet described as “very humbling” and “mind-boggling that it has had been so well received.”
Another poignant image captured at the memorial this week features NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with his arms outstretched, symbolizing Oklahoma City’s journey and resilience.
Video Below: Fans witness history during OKC Thunder’s championship parade
“We have rebuilt this city block by block, story by story, person by person, just a day to time. And it’s symbolic of any of our lives. It’s gone through trauma, rebuilding it, putting it back. And that’s, that’s a symbol for our city,” said Kari Watkins, CEO of the Oklahoma Bombing National Memorial and Museum
Watkins announced that the picture of Gilgeous-Alexander will be added to the museum in the coming weeks, serving as a lasting reminder of the city’s progress.
“We’ll put that picture in the museum the next couple of weeks as we walk through the process of getting that image and, and put in a museum and telling the story of what we’ve just talked about, it just moving forward. But never forgetting,” Watkins said.
Top Headlines