Remembering Victims of the 7/7 London Bombings

[HuffyTheSlayer 22]

My thoughts go out to every who was involved in the attacks and their friends and families. Such a sad, unnecessary lack of life.

And I salute all the Londoners who used The Tube today and went on with their everyday lives.

[Fandango 1,439]

Our hearts are with you all!

We should have a 2 min board silence at 12....

[gabby4ever 1]

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I got on the Piccadilly line to go to work that morning -- I wasn't going the usual route, as I was heading to a hotel in central London to go to a press junket for a television show that was about to launch. I was running late, which was annoying because it was a pretty big deal. The train stopped for about 10 minutes at Caledonian Rd, the kind of annoying delay to the journey that is all too typical of London transport -- I remember sighing loudly and tapping my foot.

We then looked like we were starting up and the train almost immediately stopped -- the conductor got on the loudspeaker and said "I'm sorry, this train is terminating here -- this train terminates here." Everyone sighed, especially as the train was halfway into the tunnel and we had to file through to the last car to get out -- no one thought anything of it really, because this sort of thing happens all the time on the tube. I was pissed off because I was going to be more late. I hailed a taxi to take me to the hotel in central London – a few minutes later the taxi driver got a phone call turned around and told me he had to go to Liverpool Street because something had happened to his niece. I told him fine – I was nearly where I needed to be and traffic was terrible anyways. I got out and turned around but he had already sped off (he drove his cab over the sidewalk) before I could give him the fare.

I got to my junket – everyone knew something was up but not what. We had the TV on in the suite we were using for interviews and finally it finally became apparent. There were a bunch of freelance Scandinavian journalists there to interview television stars who left to cover a terrorist attack – I got interviewed by a Swedish newspaper as a "typical Londoner".

As the day wore on the details became clear about what had happened – what was clear to me was that I would have been about 3-4 trains behind the bomb at Russell Square. I’ll never forget that feeling of sickness and clarity, realizing how lucky I was to be alive. Since no one could get home that night we went to the pub and got drunk and then camped out in the hotel suites for the night - my coworkers, tv actors and journalists.

When I went back to the office the next week, a colleague had desperately put up posters for a friend that was missing – the picture was a handsome, smiling young black man who appeared to be in the prime of his life. I didn’t really know her, but I wanted nothing more than for her to find him. She never did.

About half through the following week, an email made its way into my inbox – a girl I knew, who was more an “online friend,” had been confirmed dead. I had only met her a few times in real life - I thought about the first time I’d met her about 6 years prior at a music festival. I remembered when a bunch of us went to go see a friend’s band play – it had been a terrific night and we all went out after the gig to dance and she fell over herself spilling beer over everyone but got up laughing. I didn’t really know her, that’s how I’ll remember her – laughing and dancing.

I think about her all the time, and the I’m also haunted by the smiling young man on the poster in the break room. Neither will see their 30th birthday.

Now a year later – life could not be better for me. Three weeks after that day I got offered my dream job, moved back to the US and 9 months later I got married on what was the best day of my life. I feel like Tony Soprano, just after he woke up from his coma – “every day is a gift.”

[Fandango 1,439]

I got on the Piccadilly line to go to work that morning -- I wasn't going the usual route, as I was heading to a hotel in central London to go to a press junket for a television show that was about to launch. I was running late, which was annoying because it was a pretty big deal. The train stopped for about 10 minutes at Caledonian Rd, the kind of annoying delay to the journey that is all too typical of London transport -- I remember sighing loudly and tapping my foot.

We then looked like we were starting up and the train almost immediately stopped -- the conductor got on the loudspeaker and said "I'm sorry, this train is terminating here -- this train terminates here." Everyone sighed, especially as the train was halfway into the tunnel and we had to file through to the last car to get out -- no one thought anything of it really, because this sort of thing happens all the time on the tube. I was pissed off because I was going to be more late. I hailed a taxi to take me to the hotel in central London – a few minutes later the taxi driver got a phone call turned around and told me he had to go to Liverpool Street because something had happened to his niece. I told him fine – I was nearly where I needed to be and traffic was terrible anyways. I got out and turned around but he had already sped off (he drove his cab over the sidewalk) before I could give him the fare.

I got to my junket – everyone knew something was up but not what. We had the TV on in the suite we were using for interviews and finally it finally became apparent. There were a bunch of freelance Scandinavian journalists there to interview television stars who left to cover a terrorist attack – I got interviewed by a Swedish newspaper as a "typical Londoner".

As the day wore on the details became clear about what had happened – what was clear to me was that I would have been about 3-4 trains behind the bomb at Russell Square. I’ll never forget that feeling of sickness and clarity, realizing how lucky I was to be alive. Since no one could get home that night we went to the pub and got drunk and then camped out in the hotel suites for the night - my coworkers, tv actors and journalists.

When I went back to the office the next week, a colleague had desperately put up posters for a friend that was missing – the picture was a handsome, smiling young black man who appeared to be in the prime of his life. I didn’t really know her, but I wanted nothing more than for her to find him. She never did.

About half through the following week, an email made its way into my inbox – a girl I knew, who was more an “online friend,” had been confirmed dead. I had only met her a few times in real life - I thought about the first time I’d met her about 6 years prior at a music festival. I remembered when a bunch of us went to go see a friend’s band play – it had been a terrific night and we all went out after the gig to dance and she fell over herself spilling beer over everyone but got up laughing. I didn’t really know her, that’s how I’ll remember her – laughing and dancing.

I think about her all the time, and the I’m also haunted by the smiling young man on the poster in the break room. Neither will see their 30th birthday.

Now a year later – life could not be better for me. Three weeks after that day I got offered my dream job, moved back to the US and 9 months later I got married on what was the best day of my life. I feel like Tony Soprano, just after he woke up from his coma – “every day is a gift.”

this has really choked me up.....I don't want to be trite...but thank you so much for sharing this with us.

[jen&darcy 0]

Yes thank you 'robinklake' for sharing. ((((hugs to everyone)))))

[Sister Fracas 5]

I remember it really well...hubster had just been here a week on the 6th of July, and after watching the news, I ran into the bedroom, waking him up all excited to tell him that London had been awarded the 2012 Olympics. We excitedly watched the news, whooping it up and then the next day I just walked into the bedroom, waking him up with the sad news of the bombings. We watched the news in stunned sadness & silence, and concern over friends living in London (all were fine). It was such a change from just 24 hours before for us and of course the people of England.

Edited July 7, 2006 by Frances

[Melo 1]

Paul and I were supposed to go into Central London that morning on the tube. He wanted to see Buckingham Palace and see the changing of the guards... do some shopping etc.

We did none of that coz as he parked the car when we got back to London he got a flat tyre... we drove to Stamford Brook to get the tyre repaired. It was there that we heard about the bombs.

Later, we drove back to where we were staying... and then decided to go to my brother's shop which was in Shepherd's Bush... Paul did not want to get on the bus... but when I insisted, he got on too...

Two weeks later, there was the scare in Shepherd's Bush... I was at my brother's shop... had to walk back home coz my nephew had to be picked up from school. My sis-in-law was stuck in Central London and my brother could not close the shop. That day I felt fear. Some coloured chap pointed at me saying she's one of them lot - hurled abuse... and I kept walking filled with fear all the way back to Chiswick...

Sad - so sad that this world is filled with such hatred.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I remember the thing in Shepherd's Bush -- I kind of lost perspective after that as it almost unnerved me more than the first. But I still took the bus and tube - "they" were not going to win in that respect.

[alexil74 0]

[Melo 1]

I remember the thing in Shepherd's Bush -- I kind of lost perspective after that as it almost unnerved me more than the first. But I still took the bus and tube - "they" were not going to win in that respect.

I know exactly what you mean!!! Paul left London on the 8th... I went with him to Gatwick... and then made my way back by bus and tube... and I continued to... I recall that on my way back when another train passed us - I literally jumped out of my skin... but I continued to use the tube and the buses for the same reason... "they" were not gonna win. Which is why I insisted on getting on the bus the day of the blasts.

[slim 1,525]

Let's honor the victims of the London 7/7 bombing by not forgetting the DAILY victims in Iraq and Palestine.

[slim 1,525]

Let's honor the victims of the London 7/7 bombing by not forgetting the DAILY victims in Iraq and Palestine.

Let's honor the victims of the London 7/7 bombing by not forgetting the DAILY victims in Iraq and Palestine.

[ladybutterfly 0]

So many people have a story to tell of how they escaped the bombings, and they are all so sad and yet so joyous aswell as we all thank god for being one of the lucky ones. The bombings also effected me that day as I used to work right near Aldgate where one of the bombs went off. I remember stepping off the tube at about 8.55am on my way to work and all of a sudden the entire tube station went into blackness. Being so far underground the station was pitch black and you couldnt see a thing. There wasnt even any emergency lighting which I was surprised about. At the time everyone just thought there was a powercut so there was no panic, we just had to use our cell phones as a light to enable us to walk up the escalators to street level. I got to work and only after about 30 minutes did it materialize what had actually happened. Although I wasnt directly effected it still gives me goosebumps thinking about that terrible day and I have never set foot on the tube again.

[tmma 467]