Most any cemetery around the country will offer up examples of people who HAVE actually 'sacrificed everything' for this country. A lot of them fighting actual oppression, not perceived oppression. Are there crappy things in this country? Yes but it sure beats anyplace I've ever been. Now Mr. Rowe can join a lot of us as being racis'.
Mike RoweYesterday at 10:25 AM ·
"We're Going to Do Something."
Youve been very quiet about the Kaepernick PR disaster at Nike. Any thoughts? - Sam Wilder
Hi Sam. Nike's free to celebrate whomever they wish, and Kaepernick is entitled to his opinion - kneeling, standing, or lying down. But if I was going to put someone's face on a billboard - someone who epitomized bravery and sacrifice - I might have gone another way, especially this time of year. I might have gone with this guy - Tom Burnett.
Tom's last act on earth was one of the most courageous things imaginable. And his last words to his wife, Deena, are among the most inspiring I've ever heard. Those exact words are at the top of this page, and the bottom. They were spoken seventeen years ago, under conditions I hope to never experience. I'll never forget Tom's last words. I hope you won't either.
Transcript of Tom's Last Calls to Deena
6:27 a.m.( pacific time) First cell phone call from Tom to Deena
Deena: Hello
Tom: Deena
Deena: Tom, are you O.K.?
Tom: No, Im not. Im on an airplane that has been hijacked.
Deena: Hijacked?
Tom: Yes, They just knifed a guy.
Deena: A passenger?
Tom: Yes.
Deena: Where are you? Are you in the air?
Tom: Yes, yes, just listen. Our airplane has been hijacked. Its United Flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco. We are in the air. The hijackers have already knifed a guy, one of them has a gun, they are telling us there is a bomb on board, please call the authorities. He hung up.
6:31 Deena calls 911
6:34 The phone rang in on call waiting, Toms second cell phone call.
Deena: Hello
Tom: Theyre in the cockpit. The guy they knifed is dead.
Deena: Hes dead?
Tom: Yes. I tried to help him, but I couldnt get a pulse.
Deena: Tom, they are hijacking planes all up and down the east coast. They are taking them and hitting designated targets. Theyve already hit both towers of the World Trade Center.
Tom: Theyre talking about crashing this plane. (a pause) Oh my God. Its a suicide mission
(he then tells people sitting around him)
Deena: Who are you talking to?
Tom: My seatmate. Do you know which airline is involved?
Deena: No, they dont know if theyre commercial airlines or not. The newsreporters are speculating cargo planes, private planes and commercial. No one knows.
Tom: How many planes are there?
Deena: Theyre not sure, at least three. Maybe more.
Tom: O.K
.O.K
.Do you know who is involved?
Deena: No.
Tom: Were turning back toward New York. Were going back to the World Trade Center. No, wait, were turning back the other way. Were going south.
Deena: What do you see?
Tom: Just a minute, Im looking. I dont see anything, were over a rural area. Its just fields. Ive gotta go.
6:45 a.m. Third cell phone call from Tom to Deena
Tom: Deena
Deena: Tom, youre O.K. (I thought at this point he had just survived the Pentagon plane crash).
Tom: No, Im not.
Deena: They just hit the Pentagon.
Tom: (tells people sitting around him They just hit the Pentagon.)
Tom: O.K
.O.K. What else can you tell me?
Deena: They think five airplanes have been hijacked. One is still on the ground. They believe all of them are commercial planes. I havent heard them say which airline, but all of them have originated on the east coast.
Tom: Do you know who is involved?
Deena: No
Tom: What is the probability of their having a bomb on board? I dont think they have one. I think theyre just telling us that for crowd control.
Deena: A plane can survive a bomb if its in the right place.
Tom: Did you call the authorities?
Deena: Yes, they didnt know anything about your plane.
Tom: Theyre talking about crashing this plane into the ground. We have to do something. Im putting a plan together.
Deena: Whos helping you?
Tom: Different people. Several people. Theres a group of us. Dont worry. Ill call you back.
6:54 a.m. Fourth cell phone call to Tom to Deena
Deena: Tom?
Tom: Hi. Anything new?
Deena: No
Tom: Where are the kids?
Deena: Theyre fine. Theyre sitting at the table having breakfast. Theyre asking to talk to you.
Tom: Tell them Ill talk to them later.
Deena: I called your parents. They know your plane has been hijacked.
Tom: Oh
you shouldnt have worried them. How are they doing?
Deena: Theyre O.K.. Mary and Martha are with them.
Tom: Good.
(a long quiet pause)
Tom: Were waiting until were over a rural area. Were going to take back the airplane.
Deena: No! Sit down, be still, be quiet, and dont draw attention to yourself! (The exact words taught to me by Delta Airlines Flight Attendant Training).
Tom: Deena! If theyre going to crash this plane into the ground, were going to have do something!
Deena: What about the authorities?
Tom: We cant wait for the authorities. I dont know what they could do anyway.
Its up to us. I think we can do it.
Deena: What do you want me to do?
Tom: Pray, Deena, just pray.
(after a long pause)
Deena: I love you.
Tom: Dont worry, were going to do something...
http://www.tomburnettfoundation.org/