Top 3 Most Noteworthy News Experiences

1. The Tragedy of Princess Diana

I was really too young to understand the severity of the situation when it happened, but I'll never forget the way I felt the night Princess Diana died. The year was 1997 and I was only 12 years old sitting on my parents couch in front of the television waiting for Saturday Night Live to start. Suddenly, the announcer came on with breaking news and it was on every channel. They only showed two pictures on the station, the first of Princess Di's lovely face, and the other of the car wreck scene that was mostly blurred and dark from the night. My father called for my mother who was sleeping upstairs, and she came down to watch the progression of the story. At the time, the only information being release was the car was driving at a high speed to avoid paparazzi, which in itself is a terrible tragedy. That was the first major event that I can remember being on every channel that impacted me on an emotional level.

2. September 11th

Shock, horror, and then indescribable fear. These were the first few emotions that hit me when I learned that an airplane had just crashed into the Twin Tower and it was being described as an attack on America. I was a Junior in high school and we watched coverage in every class that day, which continued well into the evening when I got home. Who could ever forget September 11th after living through it, no matter where you were in the country or world for that matter. I remember following the horrendous acts of terrorism came the banding together of humanity, bringing forth the slogan, “United We Stand.” I can not honestly say I had ever appreciated being American until I saw with my own eyes that people could stand together and honor those who lost their lives that dreadful day. I remember recording newscasts from CNN to MTV just to capture the intensity to show my children someday so they could understand what it was like to go through a historical moment.

3. The Washington Bridge Collapse

An event that hits so close to home. I drive over that bridge so often it’s amazing to think that it really did happen. I was sitting in a neighborhood bar that day with my cousin when all the TVs surrounding us declared Breaking News. The entire bar went silent, which in itself is an incredibly rare instance and an event that can only occur after a powerful shock. My phone rang and of course it was my mother making sure I was safe. However, shortly after her call most of the major cell phone companies lost service, making panic even more widespread when families could not reach their loved ones to make sure they were alright. That was the moment that stood out for me because our society is so reliant on technology that in those circumstances when it is not available we are basically blind.