Today marks 20 years since the 7/7 attacks, one of the darkest days in London’s recent history.
On the morning of July 7, 2005, four suicide bombers targeted the capital’s public transport system during the rush hour commute.
52 lives were lost. More than 700 people were injured.
Countless others were traumatised. And many lives were changed forever.
I remember that day vividly.
I was early in my HR career, delivering a training session in Wales. The session was in full swing when the news began to break there had been explosions on buses and trains. At first, it felt confusing and surreal. But soon, the full weight of the unfolding horror became clear.
London was under attack.
My fiancé, now my husband, was working in Central London that day. I couldn’t concentrate. I couldn’t think of anything else. My instincts kicked in. I had to get to him. As soon as I was able, I got in the car and drove straight to London.
The journey was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. The roads felt eerie. The atmosphere was thick with fear, uncertainty, and heartbreak. The air was heavy with a silence that said everything.
That day shook us all.
Two decades on, the memories are still raw for many. Some still live with the physical and emotional scars. Others never got the chance to say goodbye.
Today, I’m holding in my heart:
- The 52 people who never made it home.
- The families and friends who lost loved ones.
- The survivors still carrying the weight of that day.
We remember them. We honour them. And we continue to hope for a world where such tragedies no longer occur.
Rupinder x