Christa Threlfall of Bow is an author, pastor’s wife, and mother of four. She writes regularly at BrownSugarToast.com.

Thirty-nine years ago, on a cold day in January, my Mom was home in Maryland with her three young children, listening to the news. It was a momentous day, Jan. 28, 1986 — the day when the space shuttle Challenger would be launched into space.

My parents followed the story, especially interested because a 38-year-old teacher had been selected out of 11,000 applicants to be part of the Teacher in Space Project. It was incredible to think that an ordinary person would have the opportunity to travel to outer space.

Along with the rest of the country, my mother listened in horror as the Challenger broke apart a mere 73 seconds into its flight. She was so moved by the life and story of this woman that she decided, along with my Dad, that if their next child were a girl, they would name her after this brave teacher who left the comforts of home to explore the vast world of space and share it with thousands of students back on earth.

Six years ago, my husband and I packed up our children and belongings to make the move from the sunny south to the city of Concord. During our first week, we trekked down to Main Street to order lunch at Dos Amigos. I was taking in my surroundings when my eyes stopped at a familiar name on the wall — Christa McAuliffe.

“Why is her name on this wall?” I wondered as I quickly Googled it. Though familiar with the story of the Challenger (my parents had explained the significance and we repeatedly watched the 1990 dramatized movie), I had no idea that Concord was Christa’s hometown. I phoned my parents to tell them, and the first time they drove to New Hampshire, we visited her memorial site together at the Blossom Hill Cemetery.

Last month, my parents came up from Virginia to spend Christmas with my family. We sat on my couch and watched the recent PBS documentary, Christa. The next morning (despite the below-freezing temperature) we visited the newly installed statue of Christa McAuliffe on the state lawn. “Moving” only begins to describe the experience.

Thank you to everyone who devoted time, planning, and resources to make this statue a reality. What an incredible role model to have prominently displayed on our state lawn — a teacher, an ordinary person just like you and me, who gave her life to impact others. I’m grateful that God brought me to live in New Hampshire and honored to be named after such a hero.