It seems ages ago and then it seems like yesterday. But it was exactly six years ago and it happened to be a Tuesday as well. I was in London, trying to sleep off a terrible sinus infection that was probably jet-lag and exhaustion induced. It was just after 1pm in London when my hotel phone rang and my life, like millions of others, changed.
My wife was on the phone telling me that my beloved mother was going downhill very quickly and, oh by the way, turn on your TV. I thought what a strange mix of sentences. As I turned on the TV I saw the second plane dive into the World Trade Towers -- I thought I must have a movie channel on. Then, like a bolt of lightning, it hit me that it was MSNBC and this was for real.
The immediate issue in London was a communication crisis. Many transatlantic calls went through the switching platforms at the World Trade Center. I tried my cell phone and hotel phone more than 30 times before I got a connection. I was fortunate to reach my sisters who were tending to my mother. I said good-bye to her, holding back tears.... I remember telling her that heaven needed her now as 3,000 people were arriving unexpectedly. Mom had that special calling in life as she was a hospice nurse. She understood death and the dignity of it.
The British reaction was at first nerve-wracking. I was at the Lanesborough Hotel, which sits against the "backyard" of Buckingham Palace. I went to the front door to get some air as my emotions were churning and confusing. The concierge, who knew me well screamed, " Mr. Yared, do not go out. London may be under attack!" Chilling words to me as an hour earlier I was worried about a sinus infection.
British authorities had posted four armed soldiers around the hotel grounds, as it also served as back-cover to Buckingham palace. The skies over London went quiet as all approaches to Heathrow and Gatwick airports were re-routed around the city center. Nerves were raw as the Brits thought they were next. London's famous West End theaters and restaurants closed and canceled all performances that evening and for the rest of the week. The longest running musical in history "The Phantom of the Opera" went silent.
The outpouring of concern and affection by the British was almost overwhelming. I was stranded for five days before the US re-opened its skies. My three sisters and my wife urged me to relax -- mom was gone and the funeral would await my return. Northwest Airlines was fabulous to me as they gave me a priority clearance to catch the first plane back to the United States. I had to go to Amsterdam as Northwest had seven jets stranded there, while only one was sitting in London.
Finally, late Saturday night, September 15th, Northwest received clearance to send its seven jets home. I took the Amsterdam-Detroit flight. The plane was full of grateful Americans just trying to get home. As our plane touched down in Detroit, we all broke into a loud and appreciative applause. Frankly, there was not a dry eye on the plane. Even the US Customs officials were glad-handing the passengers and sent us through quickly.
My three sisters met me at the arrivals hall and we drove the three hours to Cleveland to bury our mother two days later. I remember having never been this happy to see my sisters in my life. We savored our drive and reminisced about mom and her funny antics.
What so impressed me as an American was how the Europeans embraced us. I think I received 50 hugs in those five stranded days from perfect strangers. Strangers that felt united with Americans as we suffered the worst attack on our soil in our history.
Georges Yared is the CIO of Yared Investment Research.
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