Family of man killed in Echelon Building plane crash speaks out on 10th anniversary of his death

This year marks 10 years since a man flew an airplane into a Northwest Austin office building and killed Vietnam veteran Vernon Hunter who was an innocent bystander.

On February 18, 2010 pilot Joseph Stack, an unemployed software engineer who left behind an angry suicide note expressing his frustrations with the Internal Revenue Service, flew a plane into the second floor of the Echelon Building and the break room of the IRS office.

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The name of that pilot never leaves the lips of Vernon's only daughter, Christine Hunter-Bowden.

"I don't say his name. Ever. And it's not because of anger. It isn't because "Oh my goodness, crazy person, I hate you."  No I don't have time for that," Christine says. "I love my father. I know what my children are missing. I know what I'm missing."

68-year-old Vernon was the only person besides Stack who was killed that day in the brutal attack.

Christine remembers her father fondly.

"He was awesome! He was really family-oriented, funny. He was kind of an ironic person living in Austin (since) he was like a diehard Redskins fan!" Christine says.

(Photo courtesy the Hunter family.)

Her father, Christine says, enjoyed science fiction, his grandkids and his country.

"He had worked at the Pentagon for a little bit (and) he did two tours in Vietnam and to my surprise when I saw his tombstone he was a former prisoner of war," Christine says.

(Photo courtesy the Hunter family.)

10 years ago Christine remembers getting a phone call and quickly realizing something had happened in Austin and that no one knew where her dad was. She turned on the television and saw a burning building.

"Just looking at it. I just knew. I just knew," Christine recalls. "And I remember I had maybe fantasized it in my head that they couldn't find him because he was saving people."

Christine says she remembers being afraid that it was like 9-11 and that she worried not just for her dad but for the country. She soon realized her dad didn't make it out.

"Out of 300 people he took my one. The one person I loved so much," Christine says.

(Photo courtesy the Hunter family.)

A decade on, Christine says she honors her father by being forgiving and loving. That forgiveness includes Stack.

"Because if they ask me if I forgive that man who made a choice and killed my father and killed myself...yes of course I forgive him. Why wouldn't I? Why waste my energy on anything else and what's it going to do if I did feel that way?" Christine asks.

Vernon was buried in Killeen with full military honors.

(Photo courtesy the Hunter family.)

"For me I would rather people tell the story of how...Austin, Texas. Austin...Texas. Our beloved Texans...they shut down the interstate for my father. I-35 from Austin all the way from Killeeen, Texas," Christine says.

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(Photo courtesy the Hunter family.)

"It was shut down and there were hundreds of people. In my darkest hour, with American flags, children, men, women, babies...that's what I want people to remember," Christine says.