This is a conversation about witnessing something as a child, and not truly understanding what was seen until decades later.

Glennette Rozelle and her half-sister Jennifer Mack grew up in Del City, Oklahoma during the 1970s. They were used to hearing their parents fight. Then one night, everything changed for their family.

On February 14, 1977, their mom shot and killed Glennette’s dad — Jennifer’s step-dad. Glennette was seven years old and Jennifer was 10, and they were both home at the time. They came to StoryCorps to remember that night, and its aftermath.

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Top photo: Glennette Rozelle (left) and Jennifer Mack at their StoryCorps interview in Oklahoma City on May 3, 2018. By Kevin Oliver for StoryCorps.
Bottom photo: Jennifer Mack (bottom left) and Glennette Rozelle (bottom right) with their older siblings in 1977, the first Christmas after their mom shot Glennette’s dad in self-defense. Courtesy of Jennifer Mack.

Originally aired June 22, 2018 on NPR’s Morning Edition.