U.S. attacks end vacation for American journalist
CNN writer/producer's visit to Newfoundland
cut short as America comes under attack
By PAT HEALEY
the Packet
A vaction holiday to Newfoundland drastically changed for an American journalist as news broke of terrorist attacks on America.
Dave Johnson, a writer/producer with CNN International in Atlanta, GA., had just arrived in the province for a vacation when his plans changed following Tuesday morning's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and at The Pentagon inWashington, D.C. He was immediately enlisted to work on the Newfoundland-connection to the story.
"I haven't had a chance to tour the province as much as I'd like to," he said. "It wasn't even 12 hours after I arrived here when I was called up to this story and I've been focused on it ever since."
Mr. Johnson said he had about two hours of sight-seeing when tragedy struck in New York.
"I wish I could tell you I had a wonderful time and I wish I could tell you that I've enjoyed the views and I wish I could tell that I had a lovely time touring here, but I just can't," he added. "I've been focused on this thing (the attacks) ever since."
Mr. Johnson said that wearing two hats, one as a journalist and the other as an American citizen, makes it hard for him to be objective in situations such as this.
"I try as hard as I can to keep any emotion or personal feelings out of the way I look at it from the point of view of my job," an emotional Mr. Johnson told the Packet. "I won't lie and say I don't feel enormous concern for what's going on. I feel so bad for being so far away from my newsroom, my country, so far away from many people who share the same feelings I do.
"Fortunately, I've met so many people in this country that are deeply empathetic, sympathetic and obviously concerned about things happening in the States."
He said that Newfoundlanders are living up to the reputation as being very hospitable. He rates them among the best, and that's high considering he's been to Europe, North Africa and The Balkans as a CNN foreign correspondent.
"I've had the opportunity to experience hospitality in close to 40-some countries and I'm experiencing it here," Mr. Johnson said. "I'll admit I knew very little about Newfoundland before two days ago (Sept. 10) when I arrived. I've since regretted not having a chance to smell the roses, so to speak, a little bit more."
Mr. Johnson said he plans a return to Newfoundland when calmer waters prevail in the U.S. While here, he said everybody treated him like he was one of their own.
"Every single person I've met has been hospitable, very warm and very gracious. I have been very well received and I think that's testament to Newfoundlanders reputed hospitality and their warm nature," he said. "I'll be back when the situation is a little different, when I can enjoy myself a little more."
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Arnold's Cove woman loses friends in American tragedy
Couldn't believe what she was seeing
By PAT HEALEY
the Packet
The terrorist attacks on New York's World Trade Center Twin Towers and The Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Tuesday has left a lasting impact in at least one small Newfoundland community.
Gina Brinston of Arnold's Cove worked on the 84th floor of the WTC for two years with Euro Brokers. She returned home in 1998. She's happy she's thousands of miles away from the horrorific scenes she's seen on every North American news channel and in every daily newspaper. However, she fears many of her friends and former colleagues may have been among the victims of the attacks.
The Sept. 11 attacks saw four hijacked planes crash, killing those in their way as well as those on board the United and American Airline flights. Two of the planes rammed the Twin Towers that were the highlight of the New York skyline. The crashes, about 15 minutes apart, brought both buildings to the ground, sending thousands scrambling for cover as debris came tumbling down.
Ms. Brinston said from about 2 a.m. Wednesday her phone was ringing with people calling her and telling her that 50 friends or former colleagues of hers were missing. She has since received word that some of her colleagues didn't make it but others have survived.
"It's utter devastation," Ms. Brinston said. "I think the numbers (of dead people) are going to be staggering. I don't think anybody expected this type of act against the United States.
"A lot of the people that were on the higher floors that are missing were my fellow co-workers. The last two days I've had calls from people saying this person's missing, this person's home, this person's missing. It's unbelievable."
She said fellow Euro Brokers workers in Toronto told her that many of the company's 430 employees at the WTC turned back without realizing the danger they were in.
"When they got down the stairs, they figured it was just a small fire so they turned back to go up and make a few phone calls and get some of their personal belongings, not realizing a second plane was about to hit the building," Ms. Brinston said. "The last count, and this isn't official, but they're still looking for between 120 and 130 people from Euro Brokers."
At her house on Tuesday, Ms. Brinston went searching for names of her colleagues and discovered the heart-shaped American flag she was given as a goodbye present when she left in 1998. It was signed by several co-workers, many of whom were still missing in the wake of Tuesday's tragedy.
Hard to believe
Ms. Brinston said there are only a few words that could describe the attacks when she saw the second plane ram into WTC Tower 2 "utter disbelief and shock."
Ms. Brinston thought she was watching The Movie Channel instead of a news channel as the carnage unfolded on television.
"I was expecting an alien ship to come over or Godzilla to come out of the water, it was so surreal," Ms. Brinston said. "To be honest, I thought it was The Movie Channel. I didn't believe it was a news channel. I had to run to the other room and turn on that TV to realize it was a news channel and it wasn't a movie."
She praised the FBI and police investigating the attacks for their quick action which has resulted in several arrests of suspected hijackers.
"I think the reason there wasn't more carnage was because of the fast action on behalf of the U.S. Government to get the fighter planes in the air, to get the commercial airlines down and get innocent people onto safe ground," Ms. Brinston said. "I think they're doing everything they can to get to the bottom of it. My concern is what type of response, action will they take on this type of terrorism.
"A significant portion of the U.S. financial district is gone and it can't be tolerated. They're taking the proper action," she said.
Ms. Brinston said it would be hard to see how anything positive could come out of something so tragic, but she hopes there's a light at the end of the tunnel.
"It might unite North America as a whole," she said. "It might allow us to come together as one unit and work together to wipe out this evil."
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