13th anniversary of 9/11 remembered at LynnRMitchell.com

At LynnRMitchell.com, we have dedicated this day to the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorism attacks. From guest posts to a timeline of the tragic events of that day, it is a continuation of an annual remembrance that affected millions of people. Posts will continue into the night. Here are links to posts published at this time:

Guest posts: 
- Vonda Lacey, local military mom and friend: A military mom reflects on the anniversary of 9/11
- Donald Williams, a friend who worked in President George W. Bush's administration: 9/11: Never forget American under attack, those who perished, and the heroes of that day
- Patricia Kennedy Birdsall, Texas friend and volunteer: 'Never again' begins with you

 More posts:
- 8:30 p.m. President Bush addresses the nation
- 9/11 remembered at University of Virginia
- President George W. Bush and the bullhorn speech
- GWB and 9/11: America is not weak
- 9/11: Thank you, NYPD
- President George W. Bush's emotional 9/11 National Cathedral speech
- 10:28 a.m. World Trade Center South Tower collapses
- 10:06 a.m. United Flight 93goes down
- 9:45 a.m. White House evacuated
- 9:37 a.m. The Pentagon is hit
- 8:45 a.m. America is under attack as World Trade Center is hit

10:06 a.m. ... 9/11/2001 ... United Flight 93 goes down

The heroes of United Flight 93 were ordinary Americans who reacted in extraordinary times. On a hijacked airplane heading toward Washington, D.C., possibly targeting the White House or the Capitol building, and with the knowledge of what had already occurred that morning with the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, passengers took matters into their own hands.

Ordinary citizens became heroes in their attempt to overtake the Muslum terrorists who had pirated the plane, and crashed it into the countryside of southwestern Pennsylvania.

I have written before of my special connection to Flight 93. My sister, a member of the George W. Bush administration, was at work in the White House that day. If Flight 93 had hit Washington as had happened in New York City and Arlington's Pentagon, our family could have been one of the many mourning a lost one.

On the tenth anniversary of that tragic day, the crash site outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, was formally dedicated as a permanent reminder of the courage and spirit of the Flight 93 heroes. President George W. Bush, in office only nine months when 9/11 happened, unexpectedly became a wartime president that day with a determination to protect the American people. He and Mrs. Bush attended the 2011 commemorative events, met with the families, and took part in the ceremony.

Forty extraordinary Americans ... my family will forever be grateful to the men and women of Flight 93 and their families for the heroism and sacrifice made that day.

Flight 93 had heroes on board....

Todd Beamer - "Let's roll!"
The 32-year-old Oracle Corp. account manager from Cranbury, N.J., was believed to have helped lead a passenger attack on Flight 93 hijackers that prevented the jet from reaching its target, possibly the White House. Beamer spoke to a GTE operator on the plane's phone. His final words -- "Are you guys ready? Let's roll!" -- have become a rallying cry for the war against terrorism. Beamer and his wife, Lisa, had two sons. His daughter, Morgan, was born in January of 2002. Beamer played baseball and basketball in college and loved coaching youth sports. President Bush, in an address to the nation, praised Beamer as "an exceptional man." Today, the Todd M. Beamer Foundation aims to help kids deal with trauma and learn how to make choices.

Thomas E. Burnett Jr.
Burnett called his wife, Deena, to tell her about the Flight 93 hijacking and said he and other passengers were "going to do something about it." Burnett, 38, of San Ramon, Calif., was senior vice president and chief operating officer of Thoratec Corp., a medical research and development company. His wife and three daughters moved to Arkansas afterwards to be closer to her parents. The new Thomas Burnett Family Foundation plans to provide endowments for children's bereavement camps and leadership scholarships at selected universities.

Jeremy Glick
Glick called his wife, Lyz, after terrorists took over Flight 93. She patched the call to a 911 dispatcher, who told Glick about earlier attacks in New York. Glick told his wife some passengers had taken a vote, and "We're going to rush the hijackers." Glick, 31, of West Milford, N.J., had been a collegiate judo champion at the University of Rochester. His older sister, Jennifer, is president of Jeremy's Heroes foundation which is devoted to helping people build character through sports. The foundation has supplied sneakers to kids in Chicago and paid for 20 children in Washington to attend a soccer camp.

We will never forget.

9:45 a.m. ... 9/11/2001 ... White House evacuated

The Twin Towers had been attacked by airplanes an hour earlier ... Pan Am Flight 77 had flown into the Pentagon ... and now United Flight 93 was being followed on radar flying toward Washington, D.C. No one was aware of the struggle going on inside that aircraft as passengers, aware of terrorism attacks earlier that morning, vowed to storm the cockpit and avoid whatever disaster the terrorist pilots had in mind.

The White House was evacuated at 9:45. Employees were urgently directed by Secret Service to leave the building and, as the evacuation was under way, it was stepped up as shouts told them to get away from the White House and Old Executive Office Building as fast as they could. Women took off their shoes and ran in their stocking feet out the White House grounds and onto the street and down the sidewalk. One of them was my sister.

Flight 93 would go down at 10:06 a.m. taking the brave souls with it who prevented further national tragedy. May we never forget the herorism of those on Flight 93.

9/11/2001 ... may we never forget.

10:06 am ... 9/11 ... United Flight 93 goes down

The heroes of Flight 93 were ordinary Americans who reacted in extraordinary times. On a hijacked plane heading toward Washington, D.C., possibly targeting the White House or the Capitol building, and with the knowledge of what had already occurred that morning with the Twin Towers and Pentagon, the passengers took matters into their own hands.

Ordinary citizens became heroes in their attempt to overtake the Muslum terrorists who had pirated the plane, and crashed it into the countryside of southwestern Pennsylvania.

I have written before of my special connection to Flight 93. My sister, a member of the George W. Bush administration, was at work in the White House that day. If Flight 93 had hit as had happened in NYC and the Pentagon, our family could have been one of the many mourning a lost family member.

This year, on the tenth anniversary of that tragic day, the crash site outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, was formally dedicated as a permanent reminder of the courage and spirit of the Flight 93 heroes. President George W. Bush, in office only nine months when 9/11 happened, unexpectedly became a wartime president that day with a determination to protect the American people. He and Mrs. Bush attended Saturday's events, met with the families, and took part in the ceremony.

Forty extraordinary Americans ... my family will forever be grateful to the men and women of Flight 93 and their families for the heroism and sacrifice made that day.

Flight 93 had heroes on board....

Todd Beamer - "Let's roll!"
The 32-year-old Oracle Corp. account manager from Cranbury, N.J., was believed to have helped lead a passenger attack on Flight 93 hijackers that prevented the jet from reaching its target, possibly the White House. Beamer spoke to a GTE operator on the plane's phone. His final words -- "Are you guys ready? Let's roll!" -- have become a rallying cry for the war against terrorism. Beamer and his wife, Lisa, had two sons. His daughter, Morgan, was born in January of 2002. Beamer played baseball and basketball in college and loved coaching youth sports. President Bush, in an address to the nation, praised Beamer as "an exceptional man." Today, the Todd M. Beamer Foundation aims to help kids deal with trauma and learn how to make choices.

Thomas E. Burnett Jr.
Burnett called his wife, Deena, to tell her about the Flight 93 hijacking and said he and other passengers were "going to do something about it." Burnett, 38, of San Ramon, Calif., was senior vice president and chief operating officer of Thoratec Corp., a medical research and development company. His wife and three daughters moved to Arkansas afterwards to be closer to her parents. The new Thomas Burnett Family Foundation plans to provide endowments for children's bereavement camps and leadership scholarships at selected universities.

Jeremy Glick
Glick called his wife, Lyz, after terrorists took over Flight 93. She patched the call to a 911 dispatcher, who told Glick about earlier attacks in New York. Glick told his wife some passengers had taken a vote, and "We're going to rush the hijackers." Glick, 31, of West Milford, N.J., had been a collegiate judo champion at the University of Rochester. His older sister, Jennifer, is president of Jeremy's Heroes foundation which is devoted to helping people build character through sports. The foundation has supplied sneakers to kids in Chicago and paid for 20 children in Washington to attend a soccer camp.

"There but by the grace of God go I."

We will never forget.

Video & text of President George W. Bush's remarks at Flight 93 dedication: "Evil is real ... and so is courage"

Here is video of President George W. Bush's remarks at today's Flight 93 National Memorial dedication in Shanksville, Pa.  Greeted with a standing ovation from the crowd, and with an American flag on his lapel and a humbleness in his voice, he quietly and deliberately addressed the Flight 93 families and visitors.

Here is the text of his remarks:

Mr. Secretary, thank you very much. Mr. Vice President, Dr. Biden, President Clinton, Mr. Speaker, members of Congress, my friends Tommy Franks and Tom Ridge, thank you for helping raise the money for this memorial. Members of the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation, all of those who supported this memorial, but most importantly, the families of Flight 93. Laura and I are honored to join you in dedicating this memorial to the heroes of Flight 93.

When the sun rose in the Pennsylvania sky ten years ago tomorrow, it was a peaceful September morning. By the time it set nearly 3,000 people were gone. The most lives lost on American soil in a single day since the battle of Antietam.

With the distance of a decade, 9/11 can feel like a part of a different era. But for the families of the men and women stolen, some of whom join us today, that day will never feel like history. The memory of that morning is fresh and so is the pain. America shares your grief. We pray for your comfort and we honor your loved ones.

September 11th, 2001, innocent men and women went to work at the World Trade Center. They reported for duty at the Pentagon. They boarded American Flights 11 and 77, United 93 and 175. They did nothing to provoke or deserve the deliberate act of murder that al Qaeda carried out.

One of the lessons of 9/11 is that evil is real, and so is courage. When the planes struck the World Trade Center, firefighters and police officers charged up the stairs into the flames. As the towers neared collapse, they continued the rescue efforts.

Ultimately, more than 400 police officers and firefighters gave their lives. Among them was the chief of the New York City Fire Department Peter Gancy. As a colleague put it, he would never ask anyone to do something he didn't do himself.

The Pentagon service members and civilians pulled friends and strangers from burning rubble. One special forces soldier recalls reaching through a cloud of smoke in search of the wounded. As he entered one room, he prayed to find someone alive. He discovered a severely burned woman and carried her to safety. Later, in the hospital, where she explained she's been praying for rescue. She called him her guardian angel.

And then there's the extraordinary story we commemorate here. Aboard United Airlines Flight 93 were college students from California, an iron worker from New Jersey, veterans of the Korean War and World War II, citizens of Germany and Japan, a pilot who had rearranged his schedule so that he could take his wife on a vacation to celebrate their anniversary.

When the passengers and crew realized the plane had been hijacked, they reported the news calmly. When they learned that the terrorists had crashed other planes into targets on the ground, they accepted greater responsibilities. In the back of the cabin, the passengers gathered to devise a strategy.

At the moment America's democracy was under attack, our citizens defied their captors by holding a vote. The choice they made would cost them their lives, and they knew it. Many passengers called their loved ones to say good-bye, then then hung up to perform their final act. One said, "They're getting ready to break into the cockpit. I have to go. I love you." Another said, "It's up to us. I think we can do it."

In one of the most stirring accounts, Todd Beamer, a father of two with a pregnant wife with a home in New Jersey, asked the air operator to join him in reciting the Lord's Prayer. Then he helped lead the charge with the words "Let's roll."

With their selfless act, the men and women who stormed the cockpit lived out the words, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." And with their brave decision, they launched the first counter offensive of the war on terror. The most likely target of the hijacked plane was the United States Capitol. We'll never know how many innocent people might have been lost, but we do know this, Americans are alive today because the passengers and crew of Flight 93 chose to act, and our nation will be forever grateful.

The 40 souls who perished on the plane left a great deal behind. They left spouses and children and grandchildren who miss them dearly. They left successful businesses and promising careers and a lifetime of dreams they will never have the chance to fulfill. They left something else -- a legacy of bravery and selflessness that will always inspire America.

For generations people will study the flight, the story of Flight 93. They will learn that individual choices make a difference, that love and sacrifice can triumph over evil and hate, and that what happened above this Pennsylvania field ranks among the most courageous acts in American history.

At the memorial we dedicate today will ensure our nation always remembers those lost here on 9/11. But we have a duty beyond memory. We have a duty beyond honoring. We have a duty to live our lives in a way that upholds the ideals for which the men and women gave their lives, to build a living memorial to their courage and sacrifice. We have a duty to find common purpose as a nation.

In the days after 9/11, the response came like a single hand over a single heart. Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle gathered on the steps of the capitol to sing "God bless America." neighbors reached out to neighbors of all backgrounds and beliefs.

The past decade, our country has been tested by natural disaster, economic turmoil, anxieties and challenges here at home and abroad. There have been spirited debates along the way. It's the essence of democracy. But Americans have never been defined by our disagreements. Whatever challenges we face today and in the future, we must never lose faith in our ability to meet them together. We must never allow our differences to harden into divisions.

Secondly, we have a duty to remain engaged in the world as 9/11 proved that the conditions in the country on the other side of the world can have an impact on our own streets. It may be tempting to think it doesn't matter what happens to a villager in Afghanistan or a child in Africa, but the temptation of isolation is deadly wrong.

World repression, anger and resentment will be a never ending source of violence and threats. A world of dignity and liberty and hope will be safer and better for all. The surest way to move toward that vision is for the United States of America to lead the cause of freedom.

Finally, we each have a duty to serve a cause larger than ourselves. The passengers aboard Flight 93 set an example that inspires us all. Many have followed their path of service by donating blood or mentoring a child or volunteering in desperate corners of the earth. Some have devoted their careers to analyzing intelligence or protecting our borders and securing our skies. Others have made the noble choice to defend our nation in battle.

For 10 years, our troops have risked and given their lives to prevent our enemies from attacking America again. They've kept us safe, they have made us proud, and they have upheld the spirit of service shown by the passengers on Flight 93.

Many years ago, in 1863, another president came to dedicate a memorial site in this state. He told his audience that, "In a larger sense we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. For the brave souls who struggled there, it consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract."

He added "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here."

So it is with Flight 93. For as long as this memorial stands, we will remember what the men and women aboard the plane did here. We'll pay tribute to the courage they showed, the sacrifice they made, and the lives they spared. The United States will never forget.

May god bless you all.

The leadership of that day will not be forgotten....

Sarah McLaughlan's tribute to United Flight 93

I Will Remember You

I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don’t let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories

Remember the good times that we had?
I let them slip away from us when things got bad
How clearly I first saw you smilin’ in the sun
Wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one

I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don’t let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories

I’m so tired but I can’t sleep
Standin’ on the edge of something much too deep
It’s funny how we feel so much but we cannot say a word
We are screaming inside, but we can’t be heard

But I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don’t let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories

I’m so afraid to love you, but more afraid to loose
Clinging to a past that doesn’t let me choose
Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night
You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light

And I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don’t let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories

And I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don’t let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories
Weep not for the memories

--Lyrics and music by Sarah McLachlan, Seamus Egan, and Dave Merenda
(Performed at Flight 93 National Memorial Dedication Ceremony 9/10/2011)

Remembering the passengers and crew of United Flight 93

Ten years ago on September 11, 2001 ... the forty passengers and crew members of United Flight 93 perished into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, when terrorists were overtaken by heroes to prevent an attack in Washington, DC, on the Capitol or White House.

There was one more innocent life lost that day. Passenger Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas was expecting a child ... that child is remembered ... 40 (+1).

The Flight 93 names were read at the beginning of the Flight 93 National Memorial dedication ceremony.

CREW
— Capt. Jason M. Dahl
— First Officer LeRoy Homer
— Lorraine G. Bay
— Sandy Waugh Bradshaw
— Wanda Anita Green
— CeeCee Ross Lyles
— Deborah Jacobs Welsh

PASSENGERS
— Christian Adams
— Todd M. Beamer
— Alan Anthony Beaven
— Mark Bingham
— Deora Frances Bodley
— Marion R. Britton
— Thomas E. Burnett, Jr.
— William Joseph Cashman
— Georgine Rose Corrigan
— Patricia Cushing
— Joseph DeLuca
— Patrick Joseph Driscoll
— Edward Porter Felt
— Jane C. Folger
— Colleen L. Fraser
— Andrew (Sonny) Garcia
— Jeremy Logan Glick
— Kristin Osterholm White Gould
— Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas and her unborn child
— Donald Freeman Greene
— Linda Gronlund
— Richard J. Guadagno
— Toshiya Kuge
— Hilda Marcin
— Waleska Martinez
— Nicole Carol Miller
— Louis J. Nacke II
— Donald Arthur Peterson
— Jean Hoadley Peterson
— Mark David Rothenberg
— Christine Ann Snyder
— John Talignani
— Honor Elizabeth Wainio

After the reading of the names, a piper played "Faith of Our Fathers" on the bagpipes as he walked along the Flight 93 memorial, and then merged into "Amazing Grace" against a backdrop of wildflowers in the rural Pennsylvania countryside. As he reverently made his way through the crowd, the strains of "Amazing Grace" faded away....

To the heroes ... thank you. We will never forget.

Heroes of Flight 93 ... "Let's Roll"

The heroes of Flight 93 were ordinary Americans who reacted in extraordinary times. On a hijacked plane heading toward Washington, D.C., possibly targeting the White House or the Capitol building, and with the knowledge of what had already occurred that morning with the Twin Towers and Pentagon, the passengers took matters into their own hands.

Ordinary citizens became heroes in their attempt to overtake the Muslum terrorists who had pirated the plane, and crashed it into the countryside of southwestern Pennsylvania.

I have written before of my special connection to Flight 93. My sister, a member of the George W. Bush administration, was at work in the White House that day. If the plane had hit as had happened in NYC and Arlington, our family could have been one of the many mourning a lost family member.

This year, on the tenth anniversary of that tragic day, the crash site outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, will be formally dedicated as a permanent reminder of the courage and spirit of the Flight 93 heroes. President George W. Bush, in office only nine months when 9/11 happened, unexpectedly became a wartime president that day whose primary concern was the safety of the American people. He and Mrs. Bush will attend Saturday's events, meeting with the families and taking part in the ceremony.

Forty extraordinary Americans ... I will forever be grateful to the men and women of Flight 93 and their families for the heroism and sacrifice made that day.

Flight 93 had heroes on board....

Todd Beamer - "Let's roll!"
The 32-year-old Oracle Corp. account manager from Cranbury, N.J., was believed to have helped lead a passenger attack on Flight 93 hijackers that prevented the jet from reaching its target, possibly the White House. Beamer spoke to a GTE operator on the plane's phone. His final words -- "Are you guys ready? Let's roll!" -- have become a rallying cry for the war against terrorism. Beamer and his wife, Lisa, had two sons. His daughter, Morgan, was born in January of 2002. Beamer played baseball and basketball in college and loved coaching youth sports. President Bush, in an address to the nation, praised Beamer as "an exceptional man." Today, the Todd M. Beamer Foundation aims to help kids deal with trauma and learn how to make choices.

Thomas E. Burnett Jr.
Burnett called his wife, Deena, to tell her about the Flight 93 hijacking and said he and other passengers were "going to do something about it." Burnett, 38, of San Ramon, Calif., was senior vice president and chief operating officer of Thoratec Corp., a medical research and development company. His wife and three daughters moved to Arkansas afterwards to be closer to her parents. The new Thomas Burnett Family Foundation plans to provide endowments for children's bereavement camps and leadership scholarships at selected universities.

Jeremy Glick
Glick called his wife, Lyz, after terrorists took over Flight 93. She patched the call to a 911 dispatcher, who told Glick about earlier attacks in New York. Glick told his wife some passengers had taken a vote, and "We're going to rush the hijackers." Glick, 31, of West Milford, N.J., had been a collegiate judo champion at the University of Rochester. His older sister, Jennifer, is president of Jeremy's Heroes foundation which is devoted to helping people build character through sports. The foundation has supplied sneakers to kids in Chicago and paid for 20 children in Washington to attend a soccer camp.

"There but by the grace of God go I."

We will never forget.

9/11/01: "... we saw the best of our nation"

President and Mrs. Bush on previous visit to Shanksville.

"Nine years ago today we saw the worst of our enemy and the best of our nation."
--Former First Lady Laura Bush
United Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA
September 11, 2010

Heroes of Flight 93 ... "Let's Roll"

The heroes of Flight 93 were ordinary Americans who reacted to extraordinary times. On a hijacked plane heading toward Washington, D.C., and possibly the White House or the Capitol building, and with the knowledge of what had already occurred that morning with the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, the passengers took matters into their own hands.

Ordinary Americans became heroes in their attempt to overtake the Muslum terrorists who had pirated the plane, causing it to crash into the countryside of Pennsylvania.

I have written before of my special connection to Flight 93. Because the plane was thought to be headed toward the White House or Capitol, the passenger stopped further tragedy when they prevented terrorists from carrying out that part of their plan.

My sister, a member of the George W. Bush administration, was working in the White House that day. If that plane had hit as had happened in NYC and Arlington, our family could have been one of the many mourning a lost family member. I will forever be grateful to the men and women of Flight 93 and their families for the heroism and sacrifice made that day.

Flight 93 had heroes on board....

Todd Beamer - "Let's roll!"
The 32-year-old Oracle Corp. account manager from Cranbury, N.J., was believed to have helped lead a passenger attack on Flight 93 hijackers that prevented the jet from reaching its target, possibly the White House. Beamer spoke to a GTE operator on the plane's phone. His final words -- "Are you guys ready? Let's roll!" -- have become a rallying cry for the war against terrorism. Beamer and his wife, Lisa, had two sons. His daughter, Morgan, was born in January of 2002. Beamer played baseball and basketball in college and loved coaching youth sports. President Bush, in an address to the nation, praised Beamer as "an exceptional man." Today, the Todd M. Beamer Foundation aims to help kids deal with trauma and learn how to make choices.

Thomas E. Burnett Jr.
Burnett called his wife, Deena, to tell her about the Flight 93 hijacking and said he and other passengers were "going to do something about it." Burnett, 38, of San Ramon, Calif., was senior vice president and chief operating officer of Thoratec Corp., a medical research and development company. His wife and three daughters moved to Arkansas afterwards to be closer to her parents. The new Thomas Burnett Family Foundation plans to provide endowments for children's bereavement camps and leadership scholarships at selected universities.

Jeremy Glick
Glick called his wife, Lyz, after terrorists took over Flight 93. She patched the call to a 911 dispatcher, who told Glick about earlier attacks in New York. Glick told his wife some passengers had taken a vote, and "We're going to rush the hijackers." Glick, 31, of West Milford, N.J., had been a collegiate judo champion at the University of Rochester. His older sister, Jennifer, is president of Jeremy's Heroes foundation which is devoted to helping people build character through sports. The foundation has supplied sneakers to kids in Chicago and paid for 20 children in Washington to attend a soccer camp.

"There but by the grace of God go I...."

We will never forget.

Originally published 2007.

10:06 a.m. ... 9/11 ... United Flight 93 goes down in PA

The heroes of Flight 93 were ordinary Americans who reacted to extraordinary times. On a hijacked plane heading toward Washington, D.C. and possibly the White House or the Capitol building, and with the knowledge of what had already occurred that morning with the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, the passengers took matters into their own hands.

Ordinary Americans became heroes in their attempt to overtake the terrorists who had pirated the plane, causing it to crash into the countryside of Pennsylvania.

Flight 93 had heroes on board that day....

Todd Beamer - "Let's roll!"
The 32-year-old Oracle Corp. account manager from Cranbury, N.J., was believed to have helped lead a passenger attack on Flight 93 hijackers that prevented the jet from reaching its target, possibly the White House. Beamer spoke to a GTE operator on the plane's phone. His final words -- "Are you guys ready? Let's roll!" -- have become a rallying cry for the war against terrorism. Beamer and his wife, Lisa, had two sons. His daughter, Morgan, was born in January of 2002. Beamer played baseball and basketball in college and loved coaching youth sports. President Bush, in an address to the nation, praised Beamer as "an exceptional man." Today, the Todd M. Beamer Foundation aims to help kids deal with trauma and learn how to make choices.

Thomas E. Burnett Jr.
Burnett called his wife, Deena, to tell her about the Flight 93 hijacking and said he and other passengers were "going to do something about it." Burnett, 38, of San Ramon, Calif., was senior vice president and chief operating officer of Thoratec Corp., a medical research and development company. His wife and three daughters moved to Arkansas afterwards to be closer to her parents. The new Thomas Burnett Family Foundation plans to provide endowments for children's bereavement camps and leadership scholarships at selected universities.

Jeremy Glick
Glick called his wife, Lyz, after terrorists took over Flight 93. She patched the call to a 911 dispatcher, who told Glick about earlier attacks in New York. Glick told his wife some passengers had taken a vote, and "We're going to rush the hijackers." Glick, 31, of West Milford, N.J., had been a collegiate judo champion at the University of Rochester. His older sister, Jennifer, is president of Jeremy's Heroes foundation which is devoted to helping people build character through sports. The foundation has supplied sneakers to kids in Chicago and paid for 20 children in Washington to attend a soccer camp.

"There but by the grace of God go I...."
We will never forget.

Originally published 2007.

9/11 ... Never forget: Flight 93 remembered

It's a temporary memorial in Pennsylvania to honor those who perished on Flight 93. May we never forget. "Let's roll!"

10:06 ... 9/11 ... United Flight 93 goes down in PA

The heroes of Flight 93 were ordinary Americans who reacted to extraordinary times. On a hijacked plane heading toward Washington, D.C. and possibly the White House or the Capitol building, and with the knowledge of what had already occurred that morning with the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, the passengers took matters into their own hands.

Ordinary Americans became heroes in their attempt to overtake the Muselim terrorists who had pirated the plane, causing it to crash into the countryside of Pennsylvania.

Flight 93 had heroes on board that day....

Todd Beamer - "Let's roll!"
The 32-year-old Oracle Corp. account manager from Cranbury, N.J., was believed to have helped lead a passenger attack on Flight 93 hijackers that prevented the jet from reaching its target, possibly the White House. Beamer spoke to a GTE operator on the plane's phone. His final words -- "Are you guys ready? Let's roll!" -- have become a rallying cry for the war against terrorism. Beamer and his wife, Lisa, had two sons. His daughter, Morgan, was born in January of 2002. Beamer played baseball and basketball in college and loved coaching youth sports. President Bush, in an address to the nation, praised Beamer as "an exceptional man." Today, the Todd M. Beamer Foundation aims to help kids deal with trauma and learn how to make choices.

Thomas E. Burnett Jr.
Burnett called his wife, Deena, to tell her about the Flight 93 hijacking and said he and other passengers were "going to do something about it." Burnett, 38, of San Ramon, Calif., was senior vice president and chief operating officer of Thoratec Corp., a medical research and development company. His wife and three daughters moved to Arkansas afterwards to be closer to her parents. The new Thomas Burnett Family Foundation plans to provide endowments for children's bereavement camps and leadership scholarships at selected universities.

Jeremy Glick
Glick called his wife, Lyz, after terrorists took over Flight 93. She patched the call to a 911 dispatcher, who told Glick about earlier attacks in New York. Glick told his wife some passengers had taken a vote, and "We're going to rush the hijackers." Glick, 31, of West Milford, N.J., had been a collegiate judo champion at the University of Rochester. His older sister, Jennifer, is president of Jeremy's Heroes foundation which is devoted to helping people build character through sports. The foundation has supplied sneakers to kids in Chicago and paid for 20 children in Washington to attend a soccer camp.

"There but by the grace of God go I...."
We will never forget.

Originally published 2007.

Heroes of Flight 93 ... "Let's roll!"

The heroes of Flight 93 were ordinary Americans who reacted to extraordinary times. On a hijacked plane heading toward Washington, D.C. and possibly the White House or the Capitol building, and with the knowledge of what had already occurred that morning with the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, the passengers took matters into their own hands.

Ordinary Americans became heroes in their attempt to overtake the Muselim terrorists who had pirated the plane, causing it to crash into the countryside of Pennsylvania.

Flight 93 had heroes on board that day....

Todd Beamer - "Let's roll!"
The 32-year-old Oracle Corp. account manager from Cranbury, N.J., was believed to have helped lead a passenger attack on Flight 93 hijackers that prevented the jet from reaching its target, possibly the White House. Beamer spoke to a GTE operator on the plane's phone. His final words -- "Are you guys ready? Let's roll!" -- have become a rallying cry for the war against terrorism. Beamer and his wife, Lisa, had two sons. His daughter, Morgan, was born in January of 2002. Beamer played baseball and basketball in college and loved coaching youth sports. President Bush, in an address to the nation, praised Beamer as "an exceptional man." Today, the Todd M. Beamer Foundation aims to help kids deal with trauma and learn how to make choices.

Thomas E. Burnett Jr.
Burnett called his wife, Deena, to tell her about the Flight 93 hijacking and said he and other passengers were "going to do something about it." Burnett, 38, of San Ramon, Calif., was senior vice president and chief operating officer of Thoratec Corp., a medical research and development company. His wife and three daughters moved to Arkansas afterwards to be closer to her parents. The new Thomas Burnett Family Foundation plans to provide endowments for children's bereavement camps and leadership scholarships at selected universities.

Jeremy Glick
Glick called his wife, Lyz, after terrorists took over Flight 93. She patched the call to a 911 dispatcher, who told Glick about earlier attacks in New York. Glick told his wife some passengers had taken a vote, and "We're going to rush the hijackers." Glick, 31, of West Milford, N.J., had been a collegiate judo champion at the University of Rochester. His older sister, Jennifer, is president of Jeremy's Heroes foundation which is devoted to helping people build character through sports. The foundation has supplied sneakers to kids in Chicago and paid for 20 children in Washington to attend a soccer camp.

"There but by the grace of God go I...."

We will never forget.

Originally published 2007.

Cross-posted at SixtyFour81.com

9/11 ... We Remember -- Facts about that day

"We've defeated freedom's enemies before, and we will defeat them again. We have refused to live in a state of panic or in a state of denial. There is a difference between being alert and being intimidated and this great nation will never be intimidated." - President George W. Bush, 2001

9/11 Remembered

-- 3,030 people were killed
-- 2,337 people were injured

-- 343 New York firefighters and paramedics were killed
-- 75 NYPD officers were killed

-- 115 nations lost citizens
-- 3,051 children lost a parent
-- 1,609 people lost a spouse or partner

-- The greatest age of a person killed in 9/11: 39 years
-- Percentage of Americans who knew someone hurt or killed: 20%

-- Number of firefighters on leave for respiratory problems as of Jan. 2002: 300
-- Tons of debris removed from both sites: 1,506,124
-- Days the fires of the WTC and Pentagon burned after the attacks: 99

-- Total Deaths at The Pentagon (Ground): 124
-- Total Injured at The Pentagon: 76
-- Deaths on American Airlines Flight 77 to the Pentagon: 64

-- Deaths on American Airlines Flight 11
-- World Trade Center North Tower: 92

-- Deaths on United Airlines Flight 175
-- World Trade Center South Tower: 65

-- Deaths on United Airlines Flight 93 Shanksville, PA: 40

May God bless their families, our military who fight to keep us safe, our Nation, and our President as we continue to stand guard against Muslim terrorists.

9/11: May we never forget.