On September 11 , 2001 , the day al-Qaeda attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon , Shephard described going to the airport to fly to New York City , only to find all flights in North America had been ordered to land and no new flights were being allowed to take off . So she and two other '' Toronto Star '' reporters drove to New York City , arriving at the Ontario/New York State border shortly before it too was shut down . Covering 9/11 began her career as a national security reporter
attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon
September 11 attacks
Michelle Shephard