Dear men and women of Local 101:

On December 5, 2007, I was working at the Von Maur Department store on the second floor. As the events unfolded in a mere matter of minutes, what had been an ordinary holiday shopping day was shattered by the thoughtless and selfish act of one individual.

I cannot explain to you the level of confusion, fear, and helplessness I was feeling at that time. It was as if each second was lasting for days. Complete and utter silence filled the store. No one knew where the gunman was, if there was more than one, who had been shot, where our friends were, etc. No one wanted to move to the exits because of the unknown, fear paralyzed us to inaction.

After the gunfire subsided, we were straining for any noise, any sound to let us know what was happening. Slowly and in the distance we could hear noise on the first floor. Still, we had no idea what it was. Had the gunman escaped? Was he now walking around the first floor? Voices began to become clearer, voices that carried with them strength and security. The first person I saw was an Omaha police officer in tactical gear coming up the steps, followed by at least three to four other uniforms from various agencies around the city. As I was approached, crouching behind the cash wrap, the first words I heard were "Are you okay?"

I cannot explain to any one of you how much relief those words brought. For the first time in minutes, I felt safe. I knew that our load was lifted, that the right people were on the job. The strength and professionalism shown by all those who entered the building, walking into an unknown situation, but going in because that is what you do, did not go unnoticed.

As the aftermath showed us, eight innocent people lost their lives. I cannot know what it was like for those of you who responded to the scene, what you saw, the total waste of it all must have been just as overwhelming for you. I know that many of you had been on duty since the early hours of Wednesday on the Presidential detail. I know that many of you did not go home for many, many hours as you tried to piece together and to make sense of something so incredibly senseless.

I would like to personally thank you for what you did on that day specifically and what you do everyday. There are no words to adequately express my feelings of gratitude. I would also like to thank your families for letting you do your job and helping us find as many answers as possible.

As we slowly rebuild our lives and remember those who were lost and support those wounded, we have come together as a community. We have come to realize that Omaha is, in fact, a small town with a lot to be proud of, including the men and women who serve and protect.

For those who know me personally, thank you for your kind words and show of support so soon after this tragic event. There are many difficult days ahead for everyone involved in this horrific event. But, I promise, that we will be back as a store and a city, stronger and closer than ever before.

Stay safe,

Susan Eddins

Sales Consultant, Men’s Sportswear