Gail: I'm Gail Villanueva, and I'm a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist here at
Kennedy Space Center. [Music]
Gail: Back in July of 1969, when my family was on its way out to Florida for the first
time, we were in a hotel room sitting there watching that grainy footage of Neil Armstrong
and of the astronauts on the moon. I would look at the moon at night and say
hey I want to do that too. So I decided I wanted to start working for
NASA. [music]
Gail: I saw something better for myself, because that's what my real parents always taught
me. If you see something you can become it and
be it. I've never had anything go against me and
saying you can't. [music]
Gail: I didn't always have the best of opportunities when I was growing up.
My dad was in the military and I had the honor of having him take us all over the world to
see lots of cool and neat places. Then my sister got sick and she died of cancer
and 11 months later my mom died. That pretty much left our family pretty much
broken up. My dad was very devastated, we were all extremely
close and to have that happen was just absolutely shocking.
[music] Gail: I was living in Jacksonville for STS1
and I spent the night on the shores of beautiful downtown Titusville with a million other people
watching it and at that point I was definitely hooked.
I also came down from Jacksonville till I moved down here to Brevard County to watch
all the other ones. I think might have actually had the record
for the most shuttle launches seen by a civilian at that point.
I had seen every launch. Every scrub, every delay, I drugged my kids
out here to see them too. I was also here for Challenger on the NASA
Causeway with my son which was extremely difficult. [music]
Gail: Columbia. [Pause]
I'm Sorry [pause]
When we saw Columbia and getting back to flight
and we didn't know if we could and we did. But, knowing that we couldn't save those
folks. [Music]
Gail: My dad always told me I had a lot of tenacity and I always told my dad that the
thing that both he and my mom gave me was a good mind and a good heart.
It's guided me very well in my career. [music]
Gail: I remember going to the unemployment office here at Brevard County and talking
to the lady about wanting to come out here to NASA and she said you and everybody else.
I said no, I'm going to do it and then I found out about taking the civil service test.
I came in as a GS nothing and every time someone said you want to do this task however exciting
or mundane I did it. I've had some amazing experiences and opportunities
out here. [music]
Gail: The first week was like being fed with a firehouse.
There was so much to absorb and so many new people to meet and so many different process
and procedures safety training and everything to be had, it was quite a bit to learn but
it was all very exciting. I got to work on the Scott Carpenter Space
Analog Station. I've been on top of so many buildings out
here, underneath buildings, I'm the only one I know that's been on top of underneath
of and on the shuttle launch experience. [music]
Gail: I've had the honor of doing the new employee orientations.
I remind them that they're coming out at a very exciting time when they're getting
in on the beginning of a new program and that we have space station that's already flying
that the older folks had the honor of helping to build but they have the honor of continuing
to maintain and that it's so much to do now.
[music] Gail: I want to see that big rocket launch.
I really do. I'd love to see red footprints on Mars.
Those have always been big inspirations to me.
I know there so much out there to see and do.
I'll keep seeing and doing as long as management allows me to.
[Music]