More of this Feature • Part 1

Related Resources • The Corey and Jay Show • Sept. 11 Digital Archive • September 11 News.com

From Other Guides • Visiting Ground Zero • 9/11 Graphics for The Web • 9/11 Political Satire

On September 11, 2001, we were doing our morning show like any other day, when the news came that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. It was a vague report and we immediately grabbed a television and dragged it into the studio. As the first pictures were coming across the TV, we began to describe, in very somber terms, what we were seeing. At first we thought it must have been an accident. Nobody seemed to know for sure. Then, as we continued to do our show live, we witnessed the second plane scream into the second tower, flames erupting and reality shaking.

Again, I knew I had just become a messenger for the most terrible of news. It was quite clear at that moment the first plane was no accident and America was truly under attack. My job now was to stay calm. I fought off my emotions. What I could not do was panic people. I had to keep the quiver out of my voice. I had to remain solid as a rock but convey to listeners that I, too, cared deeply about what was happening. My responsibility was to report as accurately as I could, to put a hold on unfounded speculation, to calm callers and to stay connected to the message and the recipients of the message.

My partner and I extended our show until noon, two hours past its usual end. We would have stayed on longer if we thought it would have done further good. But, the message had been delivered and we were emotionally drained. When you are the messenger, not much is filtered for you. You are presented with the full impact of whatever it is you are going to relay and it is up to you to prepare the recipient if it is bad news. I have been that messenger many times but no other day and no other message I have ever had to present will probably ever compare to the one I was handed on September 11th.

All of us, sometimes question what it is we do and if it is important. Does it matter when we go to work? Will our day of labor mean anything in the end or are we just going through some irrelevant motions. I am here to tell you I think it does matter. We don't always give ourselves enough credit. September 11th reawakened many Americans by the sudden loss of thousands of innocent lives. We started to prioritize our's again. It taught me that we are all important and we all have much to give. You do something that matters whether you recognize it or not.

As for me, I am a messenger.

- Corey Deitz