A quarter of a century after the September 11 attacks reshaped global security, prominent Canadian journalists are looking back at their coverage of the tragedy. From a frantic dash to the smouldering ruins of the World Trade Centre to an exhausting 44-hour broadcast marathon, reporters recall the immense pressure, the emotional toll, and the enduring lessons of a day that tested the absolute limits of their profession.
The Desperate Drive to a Traumatised City
Michelle Shephard, then a crime reporter for the Toronto Star, remembers the exact moment the news broke. Like many of her peers, she grabbed a notebook and her passport, rushing to the airport only to find flights grounded and television screens switched off. Pivoting quickly, she and her colleagues piled into a car and drove towards New York City, joining a wave of journalists heading into the disaster zone while thousands fled in the opposite direction.
Their journey was remarkably swift. Shephard’s laminated press pass—which she admits looked like it had been made in someone’s basement—was enough to convince an official to let them into