Families of Lost Astronauts React to Tragedy
Feb. 3 -- Astronauts William McCool and Laurel Clark — both 41 years-old — left behind children who watched their worst fears come true when Columbia broke up in the skies over Texas.
Family members of the Columbia crew say they knew of the risks and held their fear in the bottom of their hearts and the back of their minds.
Job No. 1: Mom
Clark of Racine, Wis., was an astronaut, a submarine medical officer and a flight surgeon, but she often told her 8 year-old son, Ian, that her most important job was being his mother.
Clark's brother, Dan Salton, said the young boy never wanted his mother to go on the Columbia mission
"Actually he told me, he said 'Dan I wish you could go, cause I want to see the launch but I don't want my mommy to go,'" Salton said.
The day before she lost her life on Columbia, Salton said he received an e-mail from his sister about how much she was enjoying her first flight aboard the space shuttle.
She wrote, "I have seen some incredible sights" — and described her view of lightning flashing over the Pacific, the city lights of Australia and a crescent moon setting over the Earth.
She also thanked her family and friends for supporting her adventures. Her closing words were "Love to all, Laurel."
Salton said his sister was an amazing woman who died doing what she loved.
"I think everyone's getting to know her a little bit," Salton told ABCNEWS' Good Morning America. "I think the story of all seven of the astronauts is coming out. And I think we're finding that they're all remarkable people and that she was one of seven who had a lot to contribute and was very thrilled to be part of the NASA program and what she was able to do and wanted to contribute her part and she just loved doing what she was doing," he said.
For Clark's aunt and uncle, Betty and Doug Haviland, the Columbia disaster marked the second time in just over a year that they found out a loved one had perished while watching TV.
The Havilands lost their son Timothy, who was also 41 years old, in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.
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