Life After Trauma: How a 7/7 Survivor Rebuilt Her Life

From the outside, Susan Verghese seems to live a normal life. Now 45, Susan has a steady career, a supportive family and a sense of stability she works hard to maintain. Yet there was a time when none of this felt possible.

When she was just 25 years old, Susan was a victim in the London bombings, a series of coordinated suicide attacks carried out by Islamist terrorists. While many would dwell on such a tragedy, Susan chooses not to. “Bad things happen,” she said, “but how can you use what has happened to a positive effect?”

Today, her outlook is shaped more by the years of rebuilding that followed rather than by the trauma itself. “I’d describe myself now as trying to make the most of life,” she said. “Positive, optimistic, that's what I want to be.”

Life Before 7/7

At 25, life was steady and predictable. After returning from travels abroad, Susan started teaching English at St Giles College in London.  

She describes her early twenties as uncomplicated. 

“Work, friendships and planning for the years ahead, that was it really,” she said. “Life prior to the incident was quite straightforward.”

Her future seemed mapped out. And then, suddenly, it wasn’t. 

Recovery

“For the first five years, it was quite challenging,” she said. Recovery was not linear. There were some days when she felt strong and steady and others when the past resurfaced without warning.

“There is a wave of different emotions,” she explained. “Even 20 years on, those emotions can come back.”

One of the hardest parts was trying to explain her emotions to people who had never experienced anything similar. “Not everybody is going to understand,” she said. “You want them to understand, but you can’t make them.”

These problems followed her into new environments too. When she was completing a master’s degree at the University of Manchester years later, Susan found herself being questioned by lecturers who asked why she sometimes seemed detached or slow to bond with classmates. 

“They didn’t know what I had been through,” she said. “It was difficult to explain.”

Counselling was essential, but not easily accessible in the early years. She believes that support now is better, but at the time she had to navigate long waiting lists and inconsistent resources. Still, she realised early that she would need help.

“One quality I discovered in myself was the awareness to seek mental health support quickly,” she explained. “I realised on the night that I would need it.”

That self-awareness became one of her most important tools. So did the people around her. Family, friends, other survivors and counsellors formed the support network she relied on. Connecting with survivors, even just on the phone, often helped more than anything else.

Difficult Steps Forward

Her path forward was not defined by sudden breakthroughs but by gradual steps, some small, some transformative. One turning point came when she accepted a job training teachers in Malaysia, far outside her comfort zone.

“It helped me rebuild a sense of normality,” she said. “It pushed me to try something I never thought I would do.”

Public speaking followed, not for personal gain but to help support future survivors and influence how institutions respond to traumatic events. Advocating for change became part of how she made sense of what happened.

“Yes, it was traumatic at the time,” she said. “But I don’t want to let that impact the next generation.”

Her professional life evolved too. For the past 20 years, she has worked part-time in education, a career that allows her to contribute meaningfully while maintaining balance. The work feels grounding. So do the simple things: meeting friends, long walks, time outdoors.

The Perspective She Carries Now

When asked how the experience has shaped how she sees life today, Susan paused before answering.

“I guess realising that these things can happen to anyone,” she said. “It’s easy to think it’s just a news story, but when you’re actually part of the news story, it’s quite challenging. And yeah… it’s not taking life for granted.”

One of the beliefs that anchors her is her conviction in the goodness of people. “There are more good people than bad people in the world,” she said. “Yes, bad things happen, but how can you use what has happened to a positive effect?”

This perspective does not erase the past, but it sits alongside it, offering a way to move through the world without being defined by the incident. 

Advice for Others 

Her advice to those who have experienced traumatic events is grounded and honest.

“Seek professional support,” she said. “Psychologists, therapists, whatever you need. Also talk to others who were involved in the incident. They understand in ways others can’t.”

She also emphasises the importance of accepting the fact that not everyone will understand the emotional aftermath of trauma. “You can’t make people understand,” she said. “But you can still get the support you need.”

Choosing Hope

For Susan, healing has never been about closure. Instead, it is about learning, adapting and choosing to move forward even when it’s difficult. She still has days when emotions resurface, but she no longer sees that as failure. It is simply part of what it means to survive.

Today, she surrounds herself with people who support her and works to ensure future survivors receive better care. She has shaped a life full of purpose, tenderness and quiet strength.

“Bad things can happen,” she said. “But there are more good people than bad. And you can choose how to use what has happened, you can choose to turn it into something positive.”