My Story
On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland due to a bomb that had been placed on board by terrorists. 243 passengers, 16 crew members and 11 townspeople were killed. It was the deadliest terrorist attack against Americans before 9/11. It is still the deadliest terrorist attack in the history of the United Kingdom.
I was 17 at the time. My father, who was on an extended business trip in London, was one of the passengers on board.
This was a terrible tragedy for my family to endure and a life defining moment that would forever change the person I was — the way I thought about the world, the way I saw myself, the way I understood EVERYTHING. My dad’s death also shaped my relationship with media — in profound and powerful ways — from the very beginning.
From the time I was 17, my life was a news story. The media coverage has been nothing short of relentless my entire adult life. I have been overwhelmed by a media ecosystem that has an insatiable appetite for tragedy. There are endless books and films and news stories about Pan Am 103. My family and I have been the subject of documentaries, plays, and based on a true story television series.
My experience being part of the media ecosystem has led me to my passion for media literacy education. When I discovered media literacy, so many things came into focus. I suddenly had a frame in which to put all my questions about the media. I suddenly knew the questions to ask.
Once you are the subject of the news, you never watch the news the same way. You can’t separate yourself from it. Every plane crash, terrorist attack, every tragedy has a person behind it. What media literacy has done for me is allow me to put my personal experience to good use. I can use what my family has gone through to help people understand the importance of understanding how media shape us.
Here is an article from PBS News Hour that describes my personal journey.
Here is writing I have done about recent projects related to the bombing.
Here is a piece I wrote for the 36th Anniversary Memorial on 12.21.24 on how the bombing shaped my professional path.
I speak frequently on how my personal journey has impacted me and how it ties into media literacy. Watch & listen to what I have to say here.
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