Todd Beamer

Todd Beamer

"Are you guys ready? Let's roll!" commanded Todd Beamer, a 32 year old man who on September 11, 2001, lead an assault against three hijackers on Flight United 93. This day soon became a historic event that started a war that has yet to end.

The morning of September 11, 2001, was a beautiful day without a cloud in the sky. Unfortunately, the morning soon turned bad. There were thirty-eight passengers who boarded a plane heading to San Francisco that morning not knowing what was coming of them. About forty-five minutes to an hour into the flight three hijackers stood up and claimed control of the plane. Two out of the three hijackers stayed in the cockpit trying to control the flight. The other hijacker stood on guard with what seemed like a bomb strapped to his stomach. Thirty-seven of the passengers had been forced to move to the back of the plane. The other passenger tried in advance to stop the nonsense, but was stabbed to death.

Todd Beamer called from an onboard telephone to a GTE (General Telephones and Electronics) operator. He was connected with Lisa D. Jefferson, the supervisor. While in conversation, Todd told Lisa what was happening and that whatever happened to call his wife and their two sons. About nine minutes into the call Todd yelled, "Oh! We're going down!" They quickly regained position at a steady rate and he knew that they had to do something or else the Capitol was going to be hit. He then asked Lisa if she would pray the Lord's Prayer with him. They said it together, and it got him thinking. Todd got together with the other men and came up with a plan to try and take back control of the plane. Before the attack on the three hijackers, Todd's last words that Lisa heard were: "Are you guys ready? Let's roll!" All of the men then put all of their hearts and strength into trying to regain control of the plane.

At the last minute the hijacker controlling the plane drove it straight into the ground in an open farm field about ten minutes away from the White House in Pennsylvania. The plane "disintegrated" right when it hit the ground. It was going about four hundred miles per hour when it hit the ground.

Forest Where the Plane Crashed

Lisa Jefferson hung up the phone at 10:00 A.M. and officials say that the plane crashed at 9:58 A.M. Todd Beamer is a great and heroic leader along with the other passengers who risked their lives for our country.

"He's a great guy in a crisis. He would have had his family in the forefront of his thoughts. And he would not let other people overpower him," his wife said. Many people wonder what it would have been like if these brave men did not do what they had done. One thing is for sure, it takes pride and courage to do what they did, and in my mind they are some of the greatest heroes to ever live!

In memory of: Todd Beamer, Alan Beaven, Mark Bingham, Deora Bodley, Sandy Bradshaw, Thomas E. Burnett Jr., Georgine Rose Corrigan, Jason Dahl, Edward Porter Felt, Andrew Garcia, Jeremy Glick, Lauren Grandcolas, Donald Greene, Richard Guadagno, Leroy Homer Jr., CeeCee Lyles, Nicole Carole Miller, Christine Snyder, and all other people who lost their lives on this tragic day.