These American heroes fought back
By Randy Garrison
As we look back 20 years to Sept. 11, 2001, many memories come back to us – where we were, what we were doing. I can still remember: I was getting ready for work when the first plane hit the North Tower. Just a few minutes later, the second plane hit, and it was apparent this was not an accident.
I remember the sick feeling I had watching the buildings fall, thinking of all the folks who had not been able to get out, the emergency responders trapped inside trying to save others.
The image of folks on the floors above the areas the plans struck, knowing there would be no rescue and choosing to jump versus being burned to death, will forever be etched in my mind.
This thought came to me Saturday: The folks on Flight 93 sacrificed their lives to save others; the hijackers gave up their lives to kill thousands!
A fictionalized transcript of the phone conversation between Todd Beamer on Flight 93 and a switchboard operator has been circulating on social media in honor of the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
United Airlines Flight 93, you might remember, crashed in an open field in Pennsylvania. It is believed passengers either took control from the hijackers or disabled the hijackers; either way, the passengers stopped the plane from flying into another building. The U.S. Capitol was suspected to have been its target.
The transcript is a dramatization but was so moving, I wanted to put part of it in print.
Todd: The plane seems to be changing directions just a little. It’s getting pretty rough up here. The plane is flying real erratic … We’re not going to make it out of here. Listen to me … I want you to hear this … I have talked with the others … We have decided we would not be pawns in these hijackers’ suicidal plot.
Lisa: Todd, what are you going to do?
Todd: We’ve hatched a plan. Four of us are going to rush the hijacker with the bomb. After we take him out, we’ll break into the cockpit. A stewardess is getting some boiling water to throw on the hijackers at the controls. We’ll get them … and we’ll take them out.
Todd: God help me … Jesus help me … Are you guys ready? … Let’s roll.
God bless America!
