My wife, young daughter and I actually SAW the liftoff in ‘real time’.
I drove all the way from Indianapolis. We camped out over night along the causeway along with THOUSANDS of other folks.
A slice of Americana.
We got back home in time to see the landing on tv.
I was there, too, but we didn't have to drive as far. My father worked for NASA and we lived in Cocoa Beach. He was able to get us a place on the reviewing stands. My mother, younger brother, and I show up in some of the film of the event. We were little, but I remember the launch vividly, especially the sound and rumble in my chest. My father came home that night with a giant smile on his face -- and very drunk from the celebration.