FOX 5’s Jacqueline Matter reflects on 9/11 and its impact on her career

WASHINGTON - As the nation marked 23 years since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, FOX 5’s Jacqueline Matter shared her poignant memories of the day, detailing how the tragic events shaped her life and career. 

Matter’s father was in the Pentagon when it was struck by one of the hijacked planes. Nearly 3,000 people died when militants linked to al-Qaida seized four aircraft, crashing two into the World Trade Center in New York and one into the Pentagon, before the fourth was brought down in a field near Shanksville, Pa.

"His office was directly where the plane had hit. He had been moving offices, so he was not in that location. But we didn't hear from my dad for three days. Maybe a little bit more," she shared with her colleagues on FOX 5 Wednesday morning.

An American flag hangs from the side of the Pentagon to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks,as seen from the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial on September 11, 2021, in Washington,DC. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Her father, who was involved in strategic operations, was ushered to the Pentagon’s basement during the attack. He was part of the group who assessed the strike and planned the country’s next move. She said that’s why they didn’t immediately hear from him.

Fortunately, her father survived. But the experience profoundly affected Matter, who was still in grade school. "I was eight or nine years old at the time and - just a devastating day for me. I remember every last detail, and then the trajectory of my life truly changed after that."

The period of uncertainty and the subsequent deployments of both her father, and stepfather, in the ‘Global War on Terrorism’ deeply influenced her, she said.  She watched news coverage daily, hoping to catch glimpses of her parents, which she says ultimately inspired her to pursue a career in journalism. "I sat there every single day watching the news, trying to get a glimpse of my parents."

Reflecting on the emotional toll, Matter admitted that discussing the day is still disturbing and often leads to tears. "It is one of those days - you can probably hear it in my breath - it's still hard for me to talk about. It gives me a little bit of chill," she said. "I usually try to get through the news of the day and end up going home crying. But it was a hard day."