Reliving 9/11! I am numbed!!

May 1/2 marks a great day in the democratic history of the world, and especially of America! The US forces killed wanted terrorist, Osama Bin Laden, the man behind the 9/11 bombings in New York, in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Paul, Micheal, Ian, Swee Heng, did you all hear that?? How do you feel about it?

I am numbed! Don’t know how to react!! All I remember is that fateful evening of September 11, 2001! Back then, I was Editor, Wireless Week, Asian Edition, which was later shut down. I had just returned from work in Singapore, and switched on the TV set, while having dinner. As usual, I had browsed to CNN to see what’s happening worldwide. Suddenly, around 9.30pm, Singapore time, there was a news flash — the Twin Towers had been hit by planes!

What followed thereafter is something that one can only imagine to witness in a movie hall!

Here’s what Wikipedia says about the event: “On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 and crashed it into the northern facade of the north tower at 08:46, impacting between the 93rd and 99th floors. Seventeen minutes later, a second team of terrorists crashed the similarly hijacked United Airlines Flight 175 into the south tower, impacting between the 77th and 85th floors.”

The next morning, I went to the office, only to be greeted by a memo, and more tragic news, that two of our colleagues were in one of the planes, probably, American Airlines Flight 11, that had crashed into the Twin Towers. The other plane that crashed into the Twin Towers was the United Airlines Flight 175. My colleagues were en route to attend the Wireless Show, to be held in Las Vegas! Little did they know that their lives would end so tragically!

Post 9/11, Reed Elsevier called off its plans for Asia, as I, and several others, were laid off!

Most of the gentlemen, whom I have named in this blog, were also asked to leave, although a bit later!

Today, the wheel seems to have turned full circle!