Bush weeps for hero

THE wife of suicide jet hero Todd Beamer told last night how President Bush wept as he comforted her with a hug. Lisa Beamer, whose husband died leading a gallant passenger fightback, had a poignant White House meeting with Mr Bush and his wife Laura last week. The president’s emotion overflowed as he paid tribute to Todd and the others who gave their lives to foil a hijackers’ attack on Washington. Pregnant mum-of-two Lisa, 32, said: “We shook hands at first. But then he hugged me and his wife did too. “His eyes filled up with tears a couple of times during the meeting — and they weren’t crocodile tears. “I know the President feels our pain. There was no hint of authority in his voice. He was just a man who cares. “It wasn’t like to talking to the world’s most powerful man, it was like talking to a friend or a neighbour.” Poignant ... widow Lisa meets President Bush But the president’s gentle words were followed by a steely pledge — to hunt down the terror bosses responsible for about 6,000 deaths. Blonde Lisa said: “The president just wanted to say thank you. “He thanked us for Todd’s actions and for our courage since it happened. “Mr Bush said it had given great encouragement to the nation. “He told me Todd and the other guys who fought back saved many more lives on the ground.” Computer executive Todd, 32, was held at knifepoint when fanatical hijackers took control of United Airlines flight 93 shortly after it took off from Newark bound for San Francisco. The maniacs killed a passenger and injured both pilots — but 6ft tall fitness fan Todd gathered a beefy gang of passengers to hit back. Their struggle ended with the plane crashing into open land in Pennsylvania, killing all on board. But they prevented it reaching its target, believed to have been the White House or Capitol building. The story of the mid-air battle unfolded after sales executive Todd called a mobile phone operator and asked her to pass on his love to his family. His now famous last words, heard over the open mobile line, were: “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll.” Brave Lisa smiled as she told how Todd would say “Let’s roll” as he gathered sons David, three, and Drew, one, for family outings. Lisa, from leafy Cranbury, New Jersey, then recalled: "September 11 started out as an ordinary day. Todd had a meeting in San Francisco and was getting the 8am flight. “He got dressed quietly to avoid waking me or the kids. "It was usually his habit to give me a little kiss on the forehead if he left when I was asleep and I’m sure that’s how he would have said goodbye.

Worth posting the entire article...

Proudly facing future ... Lisa
with sons David and Drew
Picture: MARC GIDDINGS

From NICK PARKER
Chief Foreign Correspondent
in New York

THE wife of suicide jet hero Todd Beamer told last night how President Bush wept as he comforted her with a hug.

Lisa Beamer, whose husband died leading a gallant passenger fightback, had a poignant White House meeting with Mr Bush and his wife Laura last week.

The president’s emotion overflowed as he paid tribute to Todd and the others who gave their lives to foil a hijackers’ attack on Washington.

Pregnant mum-of-two Lisa, 32, said: “We shook hands at first. But then he hugged me and his wife did too.

“His eyes filled up with tears a couple of times during the meeting — and they weren’t crocodile tears.

“I know the President feels our pain. There was no hint of authority in his voice. He was just a man who cares.

“It wasn’t like to talking to the world’s most powerful man, it was like talking to a friend or a neighbour.”

Poignant ... widow Lisa meets President Bush

But the president’s gentle words were followed by a steely pledge — to hunt down the terror bosses responsible for about 6,000 deaths.

Blonde Lisa said: “The president just wanted to say thank you.

“He thanked us for Todd’s actions and for our courage since it happened.

“Mr Bush said it had given great encouragement to the nation.

“He told me Todd and the other guys who fought back saved many more lives on the ground.”

Computer executive Todd, 32, was held at knifepoint when fanatical hijackers took control of United Airlines flight 93 shortly after it took off from Newark bound for San Francisco.

The maniacs killed a passenger and injured both pilots — but 6ft tall fitness fan Todd gathered a beefy gang of passengers to hit back.

Their struggle ended with the plane crashing into open land in Pennsylvania, killing all on board.

But they prevented it reaching its target, believed to have been the White House or Capitol building.

The story of the mid-air battle unfolded after sales executive Todd called a mobile phone operator and asked her to pass on his love to his family. His now famous last words, heard over the open mobile line, were: “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll.”

Brave Lisa smiled as she told how Todd would say “Let’s roll” as he gathered sons David, three, and Drew, one, for family outings.

Lisa, from leafy Cranbury, New Jersey, then recalled: "September 11 started out as an ordinary day. Todd had a meeting in San Francisco and was getting the 8am flight.

“He got dressed quietly to avoid waking me or the kids.

"It was usually his habit to give me a little kiss on the forehead if he left when I was asleep and I’m sure that’s how he would have said goodbye.

Family ... Lisa, Todd, David and Drew

"I was busy with the kids and folding some laundry when the phone rang at about 9am.

"It was my friend Elaine, who told me something terrible was happening at the World Trade Center.

"I switched on the TV just after the second plane hit and stood there in total horror — knowing that Todd was in the air at that time.

"At first I convinced myself that the chances of him being involved must be tiny. I tried not to worry or panic.

"But then news broke of the Pentagon attack and I began hearing about a United Airlines flight out of Newark.

"Todd always flew United Airlines on that route. Slowly the fear started to build up.

"Then I saw the Pennsylvania crash site on TV and knew instantly that no one could possibly have survived it.

"A few minutes later, they confirmed this was the crash site of the United flight from Newark to San Francisco.

"I knew instantly my husband was dead. I remember standing behind the sofa shouting No! No! No!"

It was four days before Lisa learned Todd made his call from the doomed plane to a mobile phone operator.

He knew he was almost certainly about to die and spared his wife the trauma of hearing his final words. Lisa said: “I think he did the right thing because he knew I was alone with the boys and couldn’t have helped.

“The operator later called and calmly talked me through everything he said during the 15 minutes that they spoke.

“At times it was like hearing Todd himself talking and it gave me an amazing sense of peace.

“She said he passed on his love to me and the boys.

“She knew all our names, ages and lots of other things. And when she said Todd had yelled, ‘Let’s roll’, I said to myself, ‘That’s Todd speaking’.”

Todd asked the operator to say the Lord’s Prayer with him before he led the attack.

Devout Christian Lisa said: “People have asked me, ‘Why Todd?’ But I firmly believe God put him there that day because his talents made him a good leader. He must have been scared but the operator said he sounded incredibly calm and in control.”

Lisa was invited to the US Congress when President Bush gave a historic speech after the attack and he asked her to stand for a tumultuous ovation.

She is now courageously facing up to bringing up her sons alone. Her third child due in January will never know its brave father.

She said: “I take consolation from little things. Like the fact that Todd bathed the boys and put them to bed one last time the night before.

“Most of the time I stay in control for the boys but at other times I cry.

“I’ve had to tell David his father won’t be coming home. He still keeps asking. It’s hard for him to understand.

“But my faith tells me we’ll all be together in Heaven one day.”

Inspirational Lisa has launched The Todd Beamer Memorial Fund which will aid victims of the disaster and Todd’s favourite charities. Donations can be made over the internet on www.beamerfoundation.org or to the Todd M Beamer Memorial Foundation at P O Box 32, Cranbury, New Jersey, 08512, USA.

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