The morning that changed everything

 

The Tribute in Light display on Thursday marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. REUTERS PIC

TWENTY-SIX years ago, a journalist with about six years of experience decided he needed to further his studies to get a degree to improve his chances of growing in the industry.

He chose a university well known for its mass communications courses — and one that was affordable — in a Midwestern part of the United States.

The next year, he was appointed news editor of the university's newspaper due in large part to his experience, meagre as it was.

One fateful morning that year, the journalist in question woke up a little late and rushed to get ready, forgoing his usual habit of watching the news on TV.

As he got into the elevator of his dormitory later, he heard some others talking about an aircraft crashing into the Twin Towers in New York.

The journalist thought nothing of it, thinking it was a light aircraft.

He did not realise then the scale of what was happening on Sept 11, 2001.

It was only when he got to his first class of the day — in a remarkable coincidence, it was on terrorism — that he knew exactly what was going on.

A TV had been wheeled into the classroom, and students were watching as things unfolded.

But the students actually knew what was happening before it unfolded on TV.

The lecturer was a retired
lieutenant-colonel in the US Air Force who had once been posted at the US embassy in Moscow. She had many friends in the intelligence agencies and stepped out constantly to answer or make phone calls.

She kept her students informed, telling them about the crash into the Pentagon and the fourth aircraft, even before it crashed in Pennsylvania.

We all know the story of what unfolded that day. The chaos, the weeping, the fear, the death, the anger. The first thing that hit everyone, however, was shock and disbelief.

In the university's theatre, which holds about 700 people, more than 1,000 students and lecturers sat and stood in shock, watching a large screen showing a news channel.

Then, as the first tower came crashing down, a collective gasp rocked the theatre. This was followed by the exact opposite — complete and utter silence, a deafening silence broken only by the sounds of sobbing.

The university cancelled classes for the rest of the day and warned foreign students to stay at home.

The journalist received calls from worried friends telling him to stay home and not attend a vigil being planned for that night. He had to ignore their advice, though, as he had a job to do.

That worry came to nothing, as everyone was supportive of foreign students and looked out for them.

The fears were justified, but proved unnecessary. There was only sorrow that lingered.

Twenty-five years on, the journalist still remembers everything that happened that day as if it were a mere 25 minutes ago.

Every thought, every emotion — fear, sadness, anger — still lingers.

Sept 11, 2001, will remain with him all the days of his life. It is there alongside the memories of Malaysia Airlines flights MH370 and MH17.

The people who died that day will remain a part of his memory, despite the fact that he did not know them. But so will all those who showed their concern for him.

It is at our worst times that people come through for us. Let us all, in others' times of need, be there for them. - NST

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* The writer, Leslie Andres is NST news editor. He can be reached at leslie.andres@nst.com. my