Wednesday December 5th there was a shooting at a Von Maur store in Omaha Nebraska. When I heard about it I immediately got a sick feeling in my stomach. A close friend of mine had just moved to Omaha to be a store manager at a Von Maur somewhere in Nebraska. I then talked to my fiancee and sure enough it was Omaha. Later that night my fiancee and I got the dreaded phone call delivering the bad news. Our friend whom was in contact with the family and whom was also really close to our friend Maggie called us. Maggie did not make it through the horrific event.
I’m not sure how to describe what happened, other than it was a terrible tragedy and it really sucks. We were close to Maggie and she really was a beautiful and wonderful person and I don’t mean beautiful just as in she was very pretty, but her character and actions lead an example of what everyone wishes to aspire to. She was the nicest and sweetest person I have ever had the joy and opportunity to meet and she never hurt anyone or meant to cause anyone pain and suffering. All of which makes this loss just that much worse to bear.
At first when I heard the news I froze. I think time did too. It was very hard to comprehend. Which lead to the immense anger I felt that someone could be selfish enough to rip Maggie’s life away from her family and friends. And it doesn’t help anything that for me, my memory plays out like small movies in my head. For 24 hours or so, even while at work, all I could see was the different events and memories of Maggie played out in visual scenes for me to watch. And it hurt because those are the last ones I will ever have.
I’m not sure why she left her job and our town for Omaha, but I wish she didn’t. From what I have heard she left because the company told her that if she didn’t take the job in Omaha she wouldn’t be able to move up (the last five jobs she had with the company were management positions and I think they were trying to “Fast Track” her). All of which makes this even worse for us. But then I thought, “If I get pissed at the company, Maggie, or anyone or anything else, it just means that Asshole won.” Letting him win would do great injustice to Maggie. And no, you won’t hear his name on this site. That Bastard doesn’t deserve the fame he was seeking.
Maggie touched anyone she ever met and her loss is truly great to this world. I miss her dearly as does my fiancee and our friend. I hope Maggie’s family finds a way to get through this rough time and remember the wonderful times they got to spend with such a beautiful person. For I know it’s starting to help me, because every memory I have of or with Maggie, is one that makes me smile and laugh.
We Love you and Miss you Maggie, Thanks
13 comments
Paul Sunstone
December 7, 2007 at 12:03 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
She sounds like a entirely wonderful person, Webs. I’m so sorry for your loss.
webs05admin
December 7, 2007 at 12:32 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Thanks Paul, I appreciate it.
Greg Laden
December 7, 2007 at 1:06 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Paul, that is a total bummer. Thanks for going through what must have been a great effort for posting this. You are putting the humanity in the tragedy, which is so important.
Antonia Gallo
December 7, 2007 at 1:29 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
HI,
So i’m originally from Clinton IA. I too just moved to Omaha from Ames IA, and i work as a server at the Cheesecake factory at westroads. People just came running in yelling “He’s shooting at us”,”help help”. of course the whole restaurant (full of customers at the time) froze in horror. It’s a scary thought that one person can conflict so many lifes… not only did he hurt the friends and family of those that lost their lives and were injured, but the 100′s of people that work in the mall area. the Cheesecake isn’t even attached to the mall and i feared going to work the next day. it made me sick too see all the caution tape, and think of all the lady’s that normal come over for their lunch breaks from the dept. stores might not be coming back, ever. Not to mention the strain the mall will be taking with less business, thus needing less people working and leaving those people short on money. it all snowballs, and it’s happening. and all because one person wanted “to go out in style” I’m angry as hell and horribly sad all at the same time. and i wasn’t even in the store. thank you for sharing you/her story. i enjoy finding out that while her time was cut short by horrible events. she was happy and pursuing her dream job. and that was a good thing. never forget the good things. sorry if this kinda sounded random and mixed up, because it was, and that’s how i feel right now.
Webs
December 7, 2007 at 1:44 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Antonia, you will never need to apologize for your emotions that come out from an event like this. Thank you so much for sharing your story here, it is greatly appreciated!
Nothing good comes from these events, and I hope businesses and people’s live in general do not take to large a hit from this event, because that is exactly what that guy wanted. I hope you will be okay and grow from this event as well. If you have any other questions or just want someone to talk to about this event please respond back.
Jenny
December 7, 2007 at 3:37 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
My heart breaks for you and all that knew Maggie. She sounds like she was an amazing person, just by looking at her photos I can tell that. Her smile is unforgettable, i’m so sorry for your loss.
Webs
December 7, 2007 at 10:51 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Thanks Jenny. She was an amazing person and your kind words were sweet.
Marjorie
December 8, 2007 at 4:42 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Dear Sir,
My heart goes out to you in your time of loss. I live in Omaha and am still trying to digest what happened.
I came across your blog post and would like to share what you have to say about Maggie Webb with the rest of Omaha, so we can appreciate her as much as you did…
Would it be alright if I used your picture in our evening newscast and some of your comments?
Thank you for your consideration. And if you need someone to talk to I suggest the Boys Town National Hotline, their number is 1-800-488-3000.
Feel Free to email me at news42@kptm.com
Jerry
December 10, 2007 at 6:16 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Sorry to hear that like so many it seems somewhere, somehow we get connected to some senseless violent tragedy.
When we moved to Bloomington-Normal, we were there about six months when I heard that a University of Iowa Chinese graduate student, Gung Lu, had gone on a shooting spree killing a student (who won the physics award that Gang Lu coveted) and several faculty in the physics department because they had denied him the award. The news report said that the shooter killed 5 people before turning the gun on himself. The next day I looked in the newspaper and my graduate adviser, T. Anne Cleary was among those slain because she had been the acting VP who ruled on his appeal for this award. Anne Cleary was a noted scholar and the person who influenced me to get my PhD from Iowa. I took several classes from her, and she guided my through my original program at Iowa.
While Anne could have provided years more of positive service to students, it is somehow even more tragic when someone is cut down before her life even gets going. It is so senseless and it reminds how precious each day can be though we don’t realize it.
Now yesterday there were another round of senseless shootings in Colorado. Somehow there must be a way to look at this and make some sense of it.
Talk to you guys soon,
JoshJoy
December 10, 2007 at 8:19 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Hi,
We have created a free and open memorial site to pay tribute to those loved ones who have passed away, http://www.people-to-remember.com
I have linked to your blog and posted some of your quotes on our website here, http://www.people-to-remember.com/wiki/index.php/Maggie_Webb
I hope this is ok and captures and provides a glimpse into how truly special Maggie was and how her memory persists.
Thanks,
Josh
Webs
December 10, 2007 at 8:53 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Thank you Marjorie and Josh for publishing information about Maggie. I appreciate you both coming to me for information and doing a good job on capturing her.
Jerry, sorry to hear of your loss. This string of violent crime just seems crazy and makes me wonder if we did more to help these distraught people if the violence could be somehow abated. I’m sure there is no easy and big picture solution, but hopefully we can at least find a way to minimize the crime.
Kelly
December 12, 2007 at 2:23 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
We have a memorial page on myspace, please add it to your friends and send pictures and stories.
God bless everyone as we make it through this of most difficult times.
http://www.myspace.com/maggiewebbmemorial
cubiclegrrl
December 17, 2007 at 10:55 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Webs: I wanted to drop by and offer my condolences after seeing your post on SEB. I am so very sorry to read of the hole left in your life–and many, many other lives, from the look of it–by such unbelievably senseless violence. Hold on to and be there for each other–not only to get you through times like these, but also because any life is too short and too precious to do otherwise. Take care.