Where were you when?

[Mark]

Micheal Jackson dying make me thing that we all have points in our lives where something important happened in the news that means we'll quite likely always remember where we were and what we were doing when it happened.

The usual one is when JFK was shot, but for those who don't go that far back ones that immediately spring to mind are the passing of
Ayrton Senna, Queen Mum, Princess Diana, Greg Moore, it remains to be seen if Micheal Jackson can be added to that this (but that's not what this thread is about)

[Dave B]

JFK: I was but a glint in my father's eye.

Ayrton Senna: At home watching the race :(

Queen Mum: round Verity's bemoaning the fact that Auntie's Bloomers was interrupted.

Princess Diana: living in Dartford, my ex woke me and said Diana was dead to which my response was "Diana who?" followed by a lot of moaning that she wanted me to walk - hung over - to the petrol station to buy the Sunday papers.

Greg Moore: I was away and out of the loop so didn't know until a day or so later when I saw it on Autosport.

Michael Jackson: just leaving the house to pick Susy up when BBC News said he'd been taken to hospital and there were unconfirmed reports of his death. By the time I got to her friend's house, half an hour away, my missed call list and inbox were overflowing.

[Mark]

Micheal Jackson dying make me thing that we all have points in our lives where something important happened in the news that means we'll quite likely always remember where we were and what we were doing when it happened.

The usual one is when JFK was shot, but for those who don't go that far back ones that immediately spring to mind are the passing of
Ayrton Senna, Queen Mum, Princess Diana, Greg Moore, it remains to be seen if Micheal Jackson can be added to that this (but that's not what this thread is about)

Suppose I should say myself.

Aryton Senna: Wasn't into F1 at the time, I remember reading the news on Ceefax. Then going for a walk with my Mum and talking to her about it.

Queen Mum: We were down at Brands Hatch for the BTCC, in MattL's house. Tom Jones was there too. We found it all extremely amusing and had quite a laugh about it!

Princess Diana: Was walking in the newsagents on Sunday mornings then, so heard it on the radio. We got the first run of papers which didn't have anything in, in fact some had the latest 'Diana expose' photos. Which were quickly replaced with new editions. Later on I did the Great North Bike ride.

Greg Moore: I was watching the coverage live and chatting online on IRC at the time. It was obvious from watching it what had happened. For me CART pretty much died that day too :(

Micheal Jackson, I was on the M1 at the point where it merges with the A1(M), Chris Moyles said Micheal Jackson has died, then expected him to go 'only joking!'.

[Easy Drifter]

JFK - At work walking through a group area.
Paul Henderson's goal when Canada defeated Russia in the final game of the 72 (and first) series.--Bar at the King Edward Hotel next to my office, with my boss. Watching it on TV. Should have been working.
Gilles Villeneuve-- On the Queen Elizabeth Way (an Ont. Highway) on the way to get a new truck. Having been a F Atlantic mechanic when he was in the series I knew the whole family. To me he was the best ever.

[big_sw2000]

Queen Mum= Can not rember
Princess Di = Walked in to my local Golf Club
Ayrton Senna, and Greg Moore = Watching the race
Colin McRae = Lying in Bed
Michale Jackson = Lying in bed

And how about Jill Dando, i was in London about a street away

[Daniel]

Princess Diana: living in Dartford, my ex woke me and said Diana was dead to which my response was "Diana who?" followed by a lot of moaning that she wanted me to walk - hung over - to the petrol station to buy the Sunday papers.

I couldn't help but larf @ that :D

[christophulus]

JFK: Waaaaay before my time :p

Ayrton Senna: At home, I was 6 years old, and remember Steve Rider doing a piece about him after the race. My first F1 memory, as it happens.

Queen Mum: Not a clue.

Princess Diana: In bed, although on the same day I did a charity walk on the (then unopened) M65 motorway. I remember that much more vividly than Diana's death, which shows how little it bothered me. But then again I suppose I was too young to know much about her at the time.

Greg Moore: I just had to look him up on Wikipedia, it clearly passed me by :confused:

Michael Jackson: In my room videogaming with my flatmate. Ironically (weirdly) we started discussing Michael Jackson about five minutes before we finished the game and stuck BBC News on... *X-files music...*

[Tazio]

JFK---In the School-yard playing dodgeball

John Lennon---Driving on Friars Rd after a night of Bass fishing

[jim mcglinchey]

As Ms Jo Moore wouldve said, if she was still in her old job at Labour, its a great day to bury bad news..

[Daniel]

As Ms Jo Moore wouldve said, if she was still in her old job at Labour, its a great day to bury bad news..
Rather true.

[markabilly]

JFK--in school teacher, walks in and say it--noone could really beleive it, i thought I was having some sort of weird dream

911, getting ready to walk out the door, hear over the radio a plane may have crashed into it, so I turned on TV. There was some talking heads form NY, going on and in the background they showed the burning building.
About a moment later, there was activity on the screen and a second explosion.

The talking heads did not notice, I thought it was a replay. Then it looked like it was the second building that had the explosion

After a few more minutes, the heads say, word just in, another plane has hit the WTC.....

I had a friend who was suppose to be there for an 11 am meeting....

Sometime later the first building fell, I saw it and thought the building has fallen---no comments about it were coming from the heads...a few minutes later, one said, much more smoke and fire coming from one of the buildings, and I thought, no just the dust from the collapse....finally they realized what happenned

Greg Moore I saw live on tv.....at first I thought he would be fine, then they showed an upclose replay in slow mo, and I thought, he will not survive that, no way....quit watching CART on the super speedways after that...

[Dave B]

As Ms Jo Moore wouldve said, if she was still in her old job at Labour, its a great day to bury bad news..
Indeed, there must be a few BBC executives who can't believe their good fortune - total non-story though that is.

[Firstgear]

JFK - Before my time.
Senna - not into racing at that time.

the ones that stick in my mind.....

Elvis - at summer camp, heard about it when I got home.

John Candy - standing at my desk at work.

Greg Moore - watching the race on TV. As Mark says above, the day CART died for me as well.

911 - at work.

MJ - first saw it on this forum yesterday.

[Hazell B]

On the sofa watching TV, mostly.
I've never really cared enough to remember in the vast majority of cases, though Heath Ledger's death was while I was channel skipping during an ad break and it stopped me in my tracks. Sat there for ages not taking in the pictures and stories at all. Don't know why it bothered me, but it did :(

[Dave B]

On the sofa watching TV, mostly.
I've never really cared enough to remember in the vast majority of cases, though Heath Ledger's death was while I was channel skipping during an ad break and it stopped me in my tracks. Sat there for ages not taking in the pictures and stories at all. Don't know why it bothered me, but it did :(
Is it wrong that I'd never heard of Ledger until his death? I don't get out much, me...

[elis]

Ayrton Senna. In the old wooden paddock diner at Silverstone, it was the FIA International F3000 meeting. I was sat at a long table with Durango Corse F3000 team, all huddled round a small TV.. everyone instinctively knew & there was silence as we all left & went back to the paddock. I remember seeing David Coulthard sat on the steps to his transporter, head in his hands, his then girlfriend Andrea next to him.

Gonzalo Rodriguez. I was at turn 8 at Laguna as it happened infront of us. The circuit commentary said he was injured & being transfered to hospital, but it was more than evident he had already died immediately on scene.. given the physical trauma, & that he was in a yellow body bag as he was put in the ambulance up at the turn. This personally was the hardest hit for me.


Greg Moore. I was again trackside, turn 4 at Fontana. The helipad was right in front of us. The race continued but our eyes were focused on the flag staff.. as soon as the flag was lowered it was official.

Diana. Staying at my parents home. I walked into the kitchen for breakfast & my Mum told me. Although shocked, this didn't affect me anywhere near as much as the racing loses.. no interest in royalty.


Someone mentioned 9/11. I was sat on the floor wrapping my brothers birthday gift. The 11th September is poigniant to me because it is also the same date we lost Gonzalo Rodriguez at Laguna Seca.

Queen Mum, no idea.

M. Jackson, switched facebook on last night to check messages, saw
a friends status asking if it was true he had died... So I google news-ed it.

[Hazell B]

Is it wrong that I'd never heard of Ledger until his death? I don't get out much, me...

Not at all, you're not a film fan like me. You'd heard of Susan Boyle before I had :p :

See that's the thing, I'd heard of him and he died. I didn't go potty, crying and buying flowers to send to some flat in New York. You hadn't heard of him and didn't care much, and I don't mind that at all. We both realise it's not that important in the grand scheme ... I just wish somebody would tell BBC News 24 that about Jackson :mark:

And how about Jill Dando, i was in London about a street away

I'd get a lawyer if I were you....for the police on that case what you've just written is all the proof they need.

[Donney]

JFK - I wasn't anywhere

Henri Toivonen - I was in Bilbao, ready to perform in a school choir concert.

Lady Di - Getting drunk and I heard the news when I arrived home around two or three AM

Michel Jackson - Home cooking dinner.

[Drew]

Ayrton Senna: I was watching the race :(

Lady Di: I was only young and I woke up to watch tv and all there was was news so I turned off the tv. My mum told me later, after she turned the tv on.

Michael Jackson: Text message

[Jag_Warrior]

JFK, I wasn't born yet. When Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, I was doing my lessons at home (early version of home schooling). My mother called me in to the TV, and I think it was John Chancellor who was talking. I asked her who this Martin Luther King man was... was he like the President? She explained it to me. I asked her why someone killed him and she said it was because there were a lot of evil, hateful people in the world. A couple of months later, the same scene was repeated when Bobby Kennedy was assassinated. Was he the President? I was just over three years old, so the concepts of hate and murder hadn't quite sunk in yet.

I hadn't started school yet when Kent State happened, but I was only a year or so away. When I heard that U.S. troops had killed some school kids, I thought they were little kids like me. My mom straightened that out. But that, combined with the images of Vietnam on the nightly news, gave me an early idea that the world wasn't such a nice place... especially for a lil fellow like me. It was about that time that I asked my dad to teach me how to fight. He bought me a punching bag and taught me the nuances of a well placed upper cut versus the hook and the jab. My mother was against all that. So I had to promise never to start fights. But still, all the violence of that time showed me that having violence as an option wasn't a bad idea.

I don't remember where I was when Lennon was killed or when Reagan was shot. I remember being shocked when Sadat was assassinated, but I can't recall where I was. I had just come from class or work when the Space Shuttle Challenger blew up. My roommate was in shock.

I was watching the race when Senna crashed. I began praying to God to let him be OK. I was on my knees in front of the TV hoping that I'd see him move. When they announced that he was dead, I was devastated. I just remember sobbing. I couldn't accept that he was dead. I knew they were wrong. Even during the worst of times with my ex, we could peacefully sit next to each other on Sunday mornings, cuddling, while we watched our man Senna race for the win - especially at Monaco! His attitude during the heat of battle certainly affected me. That he could switch it off for the benefit of the less fortunate in Brazil also affected me. I was very type A then, so in many ways, he probably helped me to overcome some of the demons that I had within.

I was watching the Fontana race when Moore crashed. I wasn't a huge Moore fan. But I had a great deal of respect for him. Just as with Senna, I hoped and prayed that he would be OK. But in that crash, I feared the worst. I've never watched my race tapes of either event.

I was watching Daytona when Earnhardt crashed and was killed. That accident didn't look all that serious. I was sure that he'd be OK. I never liked Earnhardt. But I gained much respect for him when I heard how he had expressed great condolences to the Senna family after Ayrton was killed.

9/11 was perhaps the biggest shock for me. I couldn't believe that anyone would be bold enough to attack the U.S. home soil. If Bush had elected to wipe Afghanistan off the map, at that time, I would have been OK with that. But when most of our focus started shifting to Iraq, that was my WTF moment and my lesson in neconnery began. Live & learn...

Celebrities generally don't mean much to me. Most of them (Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Jordan and the like) are famous for being famous, or for bad behavior. Many of them have no real talent, and no value to society. I had no use for Princess Di. And considering how much more attention her death got compared to Mother Teresa... who really had devoted her life to bettering humanity, I have to admit that I resented Diana, even in death. To me she was just a shallow girl who married well. But I understand that she might have meant something to others - and I can respect that. I think Jackson was a phenomenal performer. And I'm sure that he made a difference in the lives of some of his fans. As a person, I can't say much good about him. But a R.I.P. is still appropriate for most anyone.

[anthonyvop]

Ayrton Senna Watching on TV

Queen Mum. She died?

Princess Diana. Having a drink at a bar and being interrupted by some twit who actually thought I care.

Greg Moore. Fishing when I got the phone call.

[gloomyDAY]

Princess Di: Heard it on the news. Didn't really know who she was at the time.

Dale Earnhardt: Watching the race. I thought he made it out unscathed and later there was a press conference to confirm his death. I was completely shocked sitting there in my room!

9/11: My dad woke me up very early in the morning and said there was an attack in NYC. Later I went to class as a sophomore in HS.

Michael Jackson: On my way back from the beach after a long afternoon of surfing. I thought it was a joke because I was listening to Jack FM in Orange County, but they were serious. Every station had MJ playing.

[edv]

JFK: At home
First Steps on the Moon: Glued to the television, amazed
Princess Di: Watched the whole thing unfold from a hotel room in the Middle East whilst sick with food poisoning
OJ Simpson Verdict: In a chicken take-away in Damascus
Sep 11th: At the office
Greg Moore: Watching the race on TV.

[harvick#1]

JFK: not born yet

Dale Earnhardt: watching the race :( as Jag said, but the opposite as I was a huge fan and that was one of the few times I had tears

Michael Park: asleep (only to find out the morning when I checked this site :(

sept 11th: In High School (Food prep class :laugh: ) didn't think much of it until I got home and saw the destruction of the incident

michael jackson: on the computer when a buddy IM me about the death

[big_sw2000]

Michael Beef Park
Sat in Weatherspoon pub opposite the Millinium Stadium Cardiff, waiting to go and watch the podium celibrations for Wales rally Gb. My dad phoned me to let me know, it was strange, as we were the only ones in the pub to know.
But what got me, was how many fans in the stadium did not know, the atmosphear was strange. People enjoying them selfs like a party atmosphear, and a few of us scatterd about, feeling very sad.
One day where i did cry in public, with a hell of a lot of other people, when it was annouced over the speakers. The shock that went through that stadium.
R.I.P Michale, Colin and Richard.

[emporer_k]

Ayrton Senna- watching the race.

Princess Di- woke up one sunday morning, my dad and sister were watching a video of a film and told me diana was dead. I was actually more affected by the fact that we had a football match called off that afternoon as a consequence.


September 11th- got hmoe from school and had just finished some economics homework and turned on tv.

Michael Jackson- Trying to get to sleep but overheared a tv in the next room.

[A.F.F.]

I remember three awful incidents over the given examples very well.

First one was when Henry "Henkka" Toivonen died. I was thirteen and heard it from the radio while visiting my grandmom. Among Markku Alen, Henkka Toivonen was my absolutely favourite driver and I was absolutely stunned of that news.

Second one was back in 1991. I was in the army and visiting a canteen I noticed a tabloid that Freddie Mercury has AIDS. Not that it was suppose to be a big surprise, i just hadn't thought about it before. But, the very next day the tabloids told that Freddie has died. That felt so unfair because I hadn't gotten over the first shock. I was a huge Queen-fan. Actually I still am.

And third of course was the 9/11. I was at work when I got a text message from my friend that a small plane has hit one of the twin towers. I went to the internet and as you all remember, things swarmed rapidly. I think I spent that night watching both, TV and internet surfing the pages and channels.

Of course the deaths of Micheal Park and Colin McRae are still in too good memories :(

[Garry Walker]

I really dont care about where I was when some celebrity I never met died, but I remember a few.

Saddam Hussein - waiting for the good news on CNN and being quite cheerful when they finally hung the .

Senna - Heard it on the evening news after having returned from a trip.

Remember 9/11 quite well though. I came home early, but was really busy with some work stuff, so when I read a newssite that some plane has crashed into WTC, for some reason my brain didnt really register it at all and i went on doing my stuff until a friend called and asked me if I was following the events. Of course, then I stopped all my work stuff and I remember watching CNN till at least 4 am that night.

[J4MIE]

Diana: My mum woke me up and told me the news, didn't bother me then and still doesn't.

9/11: Had just come home from a day out with friends and was standing in my kitchen making some food, when my mum came in and got me to switch on the tv. When I did there was one of the towers on fire with smoke, so I presumed it was just a fire and wondered how they were going to get everybody out of it, then suddenly they showed the replay of the plan hitting it, was a huge shock :s

Michael Park: Was standing in Resolfen with Pino and Jonathan and my dad, and pino heard it on the citroen weather guy's radio, "Beef is dead". We left and went to the service area along the road, still remember the atmosphere there, and all over the loudspeakers were playing cheerful music :rolleyes: Was a miserable drive home, via the millennium stadium, and still feel for Markko to this day.

Colin McRae: Was sitting browsing the interweb as you do, and got a text from Daniel asking if I had heard the news, and knew something was up.

The rest mentioned above, couldn't tell you. Wasn't into motorsport when Senna died, haven't heard of this american stuff and am still not bothered about Jackson and trying to avoid the news with all the hype about "The Whole World mourning" which must surely be a complete lie.

[J4MIE]

Just remembered I was at Croft in 2003 with Mark and Ibby when I got the news that Mark Lovell and his codriver had died :(

[gloomyDAY]

Richard Burns: Woke up one morning, rolled out of bed, made the rounds online and then found out he had died. I knew he had a brain tumor and was in the hospital. I anticipated that he would make it out alive.

Colin McRae: I didn't know until the following day. I just kept reading that he had died in a helicopter crash on WRC.com, but just couldn't believe what I was reading.

[jso1985]

JFK.- way before my time

Senna.- I was watching the race with my dad, as I wasn't much into F1 that time(and being only 8 years old also) I didn't realize the crash was huge but I remember how my dad was suddenly pale and not speaking

Lady Diana.- Didn't care much, my mom was bit shocked at dinner time

Queen mother.- Don't know/don't care

Greg Moore.- Heard it first on the sports news that evening, wasn't much of CART fan so I wasn't much shocked

Michael Park.- I was asleep as my brother woke me up telling me the news, now this time it was a real shock!

Colin McRae.- another huge shock, heard it first on the local radio as I was driving back home

9/11.- I was on school and a teacher told us a plane had crashed at the Pentagon, didn't care much then until I got home and turned on the TV!

Pope John Paul II.- I remember coming home from college and my dad telling me the Pope was dying, I'm not much of a catholic but I did respect the man and I stayed like 4 hours watching TV until they finally announced his death

Michael Jackson.- received a text message from a friend during classes telling me he was going to pass by my house at 8 PM to give me back my pediatrics book and had a "PS Michael Jackson has died" attached, I thought he was joking at first

[Bezza]

These things are called Flashbulb memories, studied it in Psychology, quite interesting. Key events are easily remembered as you relate the event to what you are doing - therefore when you think of the event you automatically remember what you were doing. It is hard to forget this because you consistently recall the information as, for instance, JFK is consistently mentioned in modern media.

For me, I was only born in 1985, so JFK was long gone by then.

Can remember Senna - saw the crash live and heard of his death on the news.

Greg Moore - read it in the paper

Queen mother - don't actually remember this, she was 101 when she died so it was only a matter of time!

Princess Diana - was my cousins wedding and heard when I woke up that day and it on every channel

9/11 - was in RE lessons at college when my teacher told the class, didn't realize the significance until i got home and put on BBC1 and saw a plane crashing into the tower.

[wedge]

Greg Moore - watched it live. I felt so sick in my stomach I actually cried. Never gave much thought to Senna and Earnhardt because they had a worthy career and achieved all there was to achieve.

Moore never had the chance to achieve great things that looked promising had he been driving for a better team.

Sorry for making people feel sick. In the late 1990s Moore was the driver I idolised along with Schumi. I never truly understood the cult fanboy-ism over Gilles Villeneuve but after Moore's death I understood both drivers were endeavors of racing purism - in and out of the car.

[Captain VXR]

Saddam Hussein - waiting for the good news on CNN and being quite cheerful when they finally hung the .


I'm still waiting for Mugabe and Jong-Il's turns

I can't really remember where I was when things happened