In 1998, he first visited Argentina. Three years after 9/11, he left New York behind and moved there to rebuild a life he never expected to lead.

In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, David English was forced to alter his life plans before he could ink the business deal that would have made him. Less than a year after the attacks, one American businessman departed from the Big Apple, settling in Argentina in search of a life away from the tension surrounding the events. Over two decades since then, he has established himself, raised a son, and gained a new sense of identity in the South American nation, according to CNN in its report.

The case is unique in the way it provides insight into post-9/11 life. Instead of following through on his life plans in New York, English decided to begin anew in Mendoza, a city in the Argentine wine region. His tale has been told in a CNN Travel piece by Maureen O'Hare as well as an earlier CNN report by Tamara Hardingham-Gill.

What happened to David English on September 11, 2001?

English was working around Lower Manhattan and anticipated September 11, 2001, as a crucial day in terms of advancing his career since he had planned to sign an important agreement with a prominent bank, which would change his career forever.


However, the terrorist attacks changed all his plans. English saw military planes above him in his New York apartment and felt a series of security alerts and worries about smoke coming out of the World Trade Center site during the following weeks.

In addition, the attacks not only affected English's environment but also forced him to think differently about his future residence since he shared his thoughts with CNN and explained that the fear atmosphere created in America because of those events led him to reevaluate his place of residence.

English did not make this decision suddenly since he visited Argentina back in 1998 and fell in love with its culture and inhabitants. Another trip to that country became decisive since it convinced him of another possible future of his own.

As per CNN, he moved to Argentina more than a year later and started living in Mendoza.

Why did he choose Argentina for a fresh start?

Argentina was not completely unknown territory to him either. English had seen what the social culture was like on his initial visit to the country, which he enjoyed immensely.

Another reason Mendoza seemed appealing to English was that it provided him with a setting different from the hectic atmosphere of New York City. It was located near the Andes and renowned for its vineyards and appealed to him on those grounds.

It was also the right time for the move as the country had undergone severe economic turmoil in 2001. However, English saw some entrepreneurial opportunity in Mendoza and, according to CNN's report, many people were visiting the country for this purpose.

His move was not based on having an infinite amount of money in his bank account to support him. English had saved up money along with some financial aid from the American Red Cross and a September 11th victim compensation fund to afford his relocation, CNN had reported in an earlier article.

How did David English rebuild his career and family life?

Going abroad provided a new professional path for English, but settling down was not enough. He launched his consultancy company, which assisted foreign investors, and even became a co-founder of an organisation that creates customised study abroad programs for U.S. universities.

The language turned out to be crucial for him. He had learned Spanish prior to moving abroad, and in the end, he managed to get an MBA entirely in Spanish. According to CNN, being part of another culture takes years of work, patience and readiness to adapt.

Also, English's private life changed considerably. In 2010, English and his Argentine partner gave birth to their child, a boy named Benjamin, in Argentina. Being a father became one of the most important aspects of the life that he had built after leaving New York.

English valued Mendoza's focus on relationships and the slow pace of life. He especially enjoyed the fact that everything could be reached by foot and getting acquainted with the people owning neighborhood stores.

However, he did not present Argentina as an ideal place for living. As CNN reports, it has become less affordable compared to before and adapting to cultural differences is not easy there.

Did he ever return to New York after leaving?

Yes. In 2019, English returned to New York for the first time in nearly two decades, bringing his son with him. He also made a short film, My Father's Lessons, about the emotional visit.

The trip offered an opportunity to revisit the city he had left behind and show his son part of his family history. It also reinforced his belief that building a life in Argentina had been the right decision for him.

There was another unexpected turn. By 2026, his son had enrolled at a boarding school in New York and was living in the city, creating a connection between the two places that had shaped English's life.

One particularly emotional moment came when his son sent him a photograph taken at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, beside the name of English's late friend.

The life he never planned

The history of English is not a tale where the idea that moving out of the country is the solution for everybody who has faced misfortune.

He may have been deprived of the career opportunity he had envisioned on September 11, but he went on to build a new career and even a family, living far from where his previous life took place.

His story proves that when people choose to start a new life, it doesn’t mean that they erase their past. It may just mean that they have learned to live with it.