Gary shares the story of his 20-year relationship with his wife April, whom he met online in 2003, and his journey through grief after her death. The narrative explores how deep love creates lasting roots, how grief cannot be fixed but must be sat with, and how strength lies in continuing to show up for loved ones while carrying memories forward.
A personal reflection on grief following the death of a close family member from cancer, exploring tensions between faith in divine inevitability and frustration that medical progress might have prevented her passing. The author grapples with broader questions about technological advancement, human mortality, and where meaning lies in an age of promised infinite progress.
On September 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaida hijackers seized four airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field, killing nearly 3,000 people. Jenna Jacobs McPartland lost her husband Ariel at Windows on the World restaurant and later reflected on how America's response—marked by foreign conflicts and domestic division—betrayed the initial unity and turned her husband's death into justification for further violence and xenophobia.
On September 11, 2001, the author watched the attacks unfold on Dutch television after a friend's message. Two stranded travelers—an American woman named Jennifer and a Finnish woman named Minnie—ended up in Amsterdam after flights to the US were cancelled, and the author helped them find shelter and shared a memorable meal at a local restaurant.
Andrew Ross Sorkin reflects on the 25th anniversary of September 11, recalling his work on DealBook and the tragedy's impact on New York and Wall Street. He contrasts the unity that followed the attacks with today's polarized climate, questioning how the nation would respond to such a crisis now.