'9/11 left me without words': Calgary-born photographer reflects 20 years after iconic Time Magazine cover photo
A picture is worth a thousand words, or so the saying goes, but there is one image in particular that continues to leave Lyle Owerko speechless two decades later.
"9/11 left me without words for a long time," said Owerko. "I was very lucky I had pictures to convey my experience."
On Sept. 11, 2001, the Calgary-born photographer found himself at ground zero in New York City and captured the famous photo of the second plane flying into the World Trade Center.
Lyle Owerko's image of the second plane hitting the south tower of the World Trade Centre appeared on the cover of Time Magazine.
Lyle Owerko's image of the second plane hitting the south tower of the World Trade Centre appeared on the cover of Time Magazine.
"The photos I have help grasp the scope of the distinct frozen moment in time that all of us gasped. I think that’s what elicits (feelings in) many people when they look at that photo. They’re speechless, they’re caught without a breath for a moment like I was when I took that picture and then the shock set in for all us."
He’d recently returned from working in Africa and hadn't even unpacked his bags when he heard an indescribable sound and ran into the streets early that morning. He quickly learned a plane had flown into the World Trade Centre and he started taking pictures. Moments later, he captured the second plane hitting the south tower.
"I took another photo and realized all the things I was seeing in the viewfinder were coming at the camera. Me, the police officers, the bystanders we had to duck and cover as parts of the plane were raining down around us," he vividly recounts. "I remember when we came to and one of the officers looked at me and said 'Did you get that?' and I said 'Ya I got that'."
That photo became an iconic Time Magazine cover image and has since been republished in a special commemorative edition to mark the 20th anniversary of the attacks in New York City and the Pentagon that left nearly 3,000 people dead.
"I lived in that neighborhood, I loved those buildings. They were like two giant trees," Owerko tells CTV News. "There was a lot of love for those buildings it was like a taking a picture of something so familiar to you like almost like a family member. In the photo — that shock, that distinct feeling of awe, disbelief, remorse, grief —it’s all in that photo."
Owerko has never been formally diagnosed but acknowledges he lived with and has learned to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. He remains encouraged by the heroes who stepped up the day of the attacks, the days and years that followed.
"From 9/11, definitely the better angels rose to the moment. There were firefighters who worked to find their brothers."
He hopes that his photos that captured a harrowing moment in history can be used to help society collectively heal and move forward.
"What I hope for on the 20th anniversary is the coming to terms with the grief that this event has an effect on all of us and what can we do in a positive manor to honour the memories of those that passed to honour the rebuilding that occurred.
"It was a dark moment with dark actions and dark outcomes but that doesn’t mean darkness prevails."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.