"Are You Guys Ready? Let's Roll!"

(The following based largely on a report from the Propwash email letter from Aero-News.)

Todd Beamer, 32, talked for some 13 minutes with the GTE operator Tuesday morning, September 11, from hijacked Flight 93, that was supposed to have landed in San Francisco. It crashed, instead, into a rural area 60 miles from Pittsburgh.

As it headed toward Washington, D.C., and we all listened to its progress, even as we watched the World Trade Center's towers ablaze, several passengers on that flight were in contact with loved ones, through their cell phones. That's how they found out they were NOT probably aboard for a "routine" hijacking. The passengers, with knowledge that they probably weren't going to get off the plane alive, hatched a plan: they were going to rush one hijacker, who, he told everyone, had a bomb lashed to his chest.

Beamer told the operator, Lisa D. Robinson, what to say to his wife, and also said he'd be joined by other passengers, reportedly at least Jeremy Glick, 31; and Thomas Burnett Jr. 38; in the attack on the hijackers. Beamer, of Hightstown (NJ), recited Psalm 23 with Robinson ("...Yea, though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I shall fear no evil; for Thou are with me..."), and then left the phone off the hook, so Robinson could listen.

Thomas Burnett, on his cell phone, told his wife, "I know we're all going to die--there's three of us who are going to do something about it." Jeremy Glick, told his wife, "We can take them, we can take them," just before Beamer gave the order. She heard him say, just before 10AM, "Are you guys ready? Let's Roll!" just before some screaming, and then silence. Beamer leaves behind two sons, ages 3 and 1; and a pregnant wife.

Lisa Beamer, the widow, told the AP, "Some people live their whole lives, long lives, without having left anything behind. My sons will be told their whole lives that their father was a hero, that he saved lives. It's a great legacy for a father to leave his children."

Recited 23rd Psalm

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Beamer, 32, an Oracle executive from Hightstown, N.J., learned from the GTE supervisor, Lisa Jefferson, about the other hijackings. He told her that two hijackers had locked themselves into the cockpit.

Beamer told Jefferson he and others were going to "jump on" the hijacker with the bomb, who was guarding the passengers in the rear. He mentioned Glick by name.

Jefferson heard shouts and commotion, and then Beamer asked her to pray with him. They recited the 23rd Psalm. He made Jefferson promise to call his wife, Lisa, due with their third child in January, then dropped the phone. Jefferson heard Beamer say,"Let's roll."Silence followed.

Details relayed to operator

Beamer, 32, an account manager for Oracle Corp., called a stranger. He picked up a seat-back phone and hit "0," and at 9:45 a.m., he was connected first to a dispatcher for GTE Airfone, and then to Lisa Jefferson, the operator's supervisor.

For 13 minutes, Beamer told Jefferson everything he could, passing along information he gleaned himself as well as from a flight attendant. The passengers remained in their seats, she said he told her, and the flight attendants were forced to sit in the back of the plane.

He told her how much he loved his pregnant wife and two sons, and he asked her to call them. He asked her to say the Lord's Prayer and 23rd Psalm with him.
Moments later, Beamer told Jefferson about the plan, that the passengers were going to run up the long, narrow aisle to the first-class cabin and attack the hijacker there.

"I'm going to have to go out on faith," Beamer said.

He turned to someone else, and he said, "Are you ready?" Then, in the last words Jefferson would hear from him, "OK. Let's roll."

FROM LISA

Todd and the other freedom fighters of flight 93 brought the first victory in our nation's war against terrorism. His actions give hope to all of us that people of character will always make a difference. My desire is that this foundation will enable many others to continue Todd's legacy of character and faith in whatever events lie ahead for our world.

The words of Gen. 50:20 have continually come to my mind since September 11th:

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

Todd's sacrifice has already resulted in the saving of many lives. God will use this foundation to continue saving lives.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers. In the now immortal words of Todd, "Are you ready? Let's roll!"

Our sincere thanks,

Lisa Beamer & Family

BEAUTY, THY NAME IS THRESSA
(animations and other great things)

AND, AS ALWAYS


THANK YOU, EARTHLIGHT CANDLES