On September 11 , 1974 , when Colbert was ten years old , his father and two closest brothers ( by age ) , Peter and Paul , died in the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 while it was attempting to land in Charlotte , North Carolina . They were en route to enroll the two boys at Canterbury School in New Milford , Connecticut . Lorna Colbert relocated the family downtown to the more urban environment of East Bay Street in Charleston . Colbert found the transition difficult and did not easily make friends in his new neighborhood . Colbert later described himself during this time as detached , lacking a sense of importance regarding the things with which other children concerned themselves
Eastern Air Lines Flight 212
Eastern Air Lines Flight 212
Stephen Colbert