It was business as usual at From Across the Pond Pub in North Richland Hills Sunday afternoon, but in the back of owner Lee Herdman’s mind, there is a mix of emotions.
Herdman was born and raised in London, where all of his family still resides. He moved to North Texas to start his restaurant and bar 10 years ago. Watching the terror attacks Saturday night from 5,000 miles away, he said, brought him to tears.
“It’s disgust, fear for my family, and then guilt because you’re not part of it," he said. "You’re not able to help."
Herdman immediately checked on his family and found they were safe. Then he thought back to July 7, 2005, when he still lived in London and was taking his usual underground train to work.
“I was riding the Victoria line to work and suddenly there was a massive explosion and the tunnels went dark. The trains stopped,” he said of the terror attack. “I remember that day, not being fearful, just being saddened.”
But if there is one thing Londoners can count on, Herdman said, it is their resilience.
“We were bombed for 51 continuous nights by the German Luftwaffe, bombed by the IRA while we were Christmas shopping. The phrase ‘Keep calm and carry on,’ it exists for a reason.”
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Herdman said he was certain Londoners carried on with their planned Sunday activities despite the terror attacks, because it's just the way they are.
"Never cower, never bow down," he said. "That’s the great thing about London, the resilience."
Seven people were killed and 48 others injured when three men drove a van into pedestrians on the London Bridge before jumping out and attacking people in bars and restaurants with knives.
It is the third attack in Britain in the past three months.
