What happened to Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania on 9/11? Let us tell you the story. It was a normal sunny morning for the people of America, but a loud noise and flames disrupted them. Two planes hit the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, with the second strike 17 minutes after the first on September 11, 2001.
A third plane, American Airlines Flight 77, destroyed the western face of the Pentagon – the giant headquarters of the US military just outside the nation’s capital, Washington, DC.
Nearly 2,977 people were killed and (not counting the 19 hijackers) lost their lives, most of them in New York; 125 people were killed at the Pentagon, and 2,606 people died at the time or later from the injuries sustained. As citizens howled in horror and sorrow, the attacks were carried out by an Islamist terrorist group, Al Qaeda, led by one of the most wanted terrorists, Osama Bin Laden.
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As per the BBC, a third flight, United Airlines Flight 93, never reached its desired target, thanks to the passengers and crew on the flight. One of the brave individuals from that flight was 32-year-old Todd Beamer, whose presence of mind and quick response to the situation helped save lives. The Michigan native was a father of three who was working at Oracle Corporation.
On the morning of September 11, Todd Beamer boarded Flight 93 for a business trip to San Francisco. As per The Independent, Beamer wished to return home from New Jersey later to spend time with his wife and two young boys, who were pregnant with their third child.
As the flight took off from Newark Airport at 8:42 am, just minutes after takeoff, the hijacked plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center. By 9:28 am, another plane had hit the south tower as the terrorists threatened the passengers with a bomb blast, diverting the plane from its original destination.
Immediately, passengers in Flight 93 began using the airphones and contacted families and authorities. Todd Beamer was the one who tried several phone calls before he reached the GTE Air Force supervisor, Lisa Jefferson. The duo had a 13-minute conversation where he explained the whole situation, expressed his love for his family and recited verses from the Bible with her.
Beamer informed Jefferson of a plan he and fellow passengers — including Mark Bingham, Jeremy Glick, and Tom Burnett — had devised to confront the hijackers and try to regain control of the aircraft.
Flight 93 attendants Sandra Bradshaw and CeeCee Lyles were also scheduled to help, preparing themselves with boiling water and improvised weapons. As the group prepared to act, Beamer’s final words to Jefferson served as both a question and a rallying cry: “Are you ready? Okay, let’s roll.”
At 9:57 am, the passengers launched their counterattack. Cockpit recordings later captured the chaos as they fought to overpower the hijackers. At 10:03 am, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing everyone on board.
“One of the worst days in America’s history saw some of the bravest acts in Americans’ history. We’ll always honor the heroes of 9/11. And here at this hallowed place, we pledge that we will #NeverForget their sacrifice.”
– George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/k80oePnzWt— Fort Bend District Clerk’s Office (@FBDistrictClerk) September 11, 2019
Reportedly, the flight was supposed to crash into the US Capitol Building. Still, Todd Beamer’s leadership and bravery likely prevented an even greater catastrophe. Since then, Beamer has been honored across the nation, including at his college, Wheaton, which named a building in his memory. Authorities found Todd’s two-toned Rolex watch, and it is now kept in the 9/11 Memorial Museum.
A post office in New Jersey has also been dedicated to the late Todd Beamer, and a high school in Washington also has his name.
His widowed wife, Lisa Beamer, wrote a book called Let’s Roll, which were his final words on the phone call with Lisa Jefferson, claiming that the couple’s kids use the term let’s roll in their everyday lives in memory of their father.
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My little one says, ‘C’mon, Mom, let’s roll.’ That’s something they picked up from Todd. ” Maybe not all superheroes wear capes; some are just like Todd Beamer, whose bravery, leadership and utmost courage will always be remembered as the one who gave his life for the safety of America during 9/11.
