An Angel Named Betty Ong

Sept. 11 -- An Angel Named Betty Ong

Many people have heard of Sept. 11 victim Todd Beamer's courage ("Let's roll"), but relatively few know about Betty Ong's
By Steven Knipp, Pacific News Service

"I think we might have lost her." With that heartbreaking statement, spoken by a North Carolina-based American Airlines employee, one of the greatest tragedies in U.S. history began. It was 7:59 on a radiant September morning when American Airlines Flight 11 lifted off from Boston's Logan Airport, bound for LA. On board were 81 passengers, two pilots and a cabin crew of nine. Sitting in Business Class were Mohammed Atta and four fellow terrorists. Less than an hour after take-off, Atta deliberately flew the Boeing 767 into the World Trade Center's North Tower. The Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks killed 3,000 people in New York and Washington, DC. It was the greatest American catastrophe of modern times. But for San Francisco's Ong family the tragedy was dreadfully personal. The "her" referred to by American employee Nydia Gonzalez, was Flight Attendant Betty Ann Ong -- their beloved sister and daughter. Ong was a victim of the terrorists. She was also the first hero of that fateful day. Many people have heard of Todd Beamer's courage ("Let's roll"). But relatively few know about Betty Ong's. Within minutes of the hijacking, and despite the murderous mayhem on board, Ong bravely grabbed a crew phone to call colleagues on the ground. For the next 23 minutes, she gave authorities a detailed account of what was happening. Ong calmly told ground staff there were possibly four hijackers of Middle Eastern extraction on board. Ong also reported on the carnage taking place -- the First Class galley attendant, stabbed; the purser, stabbed. The terrorists also slashed the throat of a passenger, who was bleeding profusely. The hijackers locked themselves in the cockpit. Amid the mid-air horror, Ong remained cool. She identified the seats the terrorists had occupied, enabling the FBI to learn the hijackers' passport details.Fifteen minutes after Ong first alerted the world to what was happening, the big Boeing suddenly lurched, tilting wildly. She said the pilots were probably no longer flying the airplane. The 767 approached Manhattan, flying ever lower. Still on the line, Ong said in a composed voice: "Pray for us. Pray for us." Seconds later the line went dead. Her ground contact asked: "What's going on, Betty? Betty, talk to me. Are you there? Betty?"BORN in San Francisco's Chinatown, Betty Ong enjoyed an idyllic childhood. The youngest sibling, she was doted on by elder brother Harry and sisters Cathie and Gloria. Their parents, Harry Snr, now 84, and Yee-gum Oy, 78, owned a small grocery store where they worked long hours. As a teenager, Ong grew to be a tall, attractive girl. Though self-conscious about her willowy 5' 9" height, it helped her excel in basketball and volleyball. "Everyone who knew Betty really loved her," says Harry, a youthful-looking pharmacist in his early fifties. Sister Cathie agrees: "Bee made everybody feel like they knew her right away." "When we spoke to colleagues who had flown with Betty, they told us that on late night cross-country flights many flight attendants relax after serving dinner," Harry says. "But Betty always strolled the cabin, especially mindful of older passengers, and always checked to see if there was anything they needed, an extra blanket, a glass of water, a cup of tea." Even on her last day, Betty Ong took time to look after an elderly person. In an e-mail to Ong's family, Joyce Toto wrote: "I never knew Betty. However, my dad did. He works for American Airlines in Boston as a gate guard; a gate which Betty passed to go to work every day. On that awful day, Betty had kissed my 78-year-old dad on the cheek, said goodbye and asked him to wish her luck. I can't tell you the joy she brought to this man's life every day with her smile. You see, my mum had just passed away, and Betty cheered him up daily." Ten days after the Sept. 11 attacks, 200 mourners gathered in a San Francisco park to honor Ong. Mayor Willie Brown proclaimed Sept. 21 "Betty Ong Day," saying, "When 180,000 San Franciscans say their prayers, they can say the angel, Betty Ong, by name." Ong's family always felt she was their hero. But it wasn't till months after the attacks that they also found she was the nation's. Last January, a tape of Ong's urgent message was played before the 9/11 Commission. Hearing her poised voice relating vital information about the hijacking, commission chairman Thomas Kean declared: "Betty Ong is a true American hero." Ong will again be honored on Sept. 22 in San Francisco, both as a city native and as an American hero, by the Chinese Community Center. For Ong's parents, there is still immense pain. Harry recently found his father quietly weeping. At the thought of that, his voice, too, cracks. "It's not easy." The pain will always be there, but the Ong Family can be genuinely proud that their beloved daughter, and sister, was that rare person who embodied both exceptional courage and uncommon kindness. She literally made the world a better place simply by being in it.

Steven Knipp is Washington, DC correspondent for the South China Morning Post.

Betty Ong 

Betty Ong - Statement of Nydia Gonzales to 9/11 Commission

Statement of Nydia Gonzalez to 9/11 Commission
Official copy available
at www.9-11commission.gov/hearings/hearing7/witness_gonzalez.pdf

On Tuesday, September 11. 2001, a day that forever will be remembered as one of pain and anguish for our nation, I was the Operations Specialist on duty at American Airlines Southeastern Reservations Office in Cary, NC. As an Operations Specialist, one of my responsibilities includes monitoring emergency situations and forwarding information to American's System Operations Control ("SOC"). I am here to share and describe an emergency call that will be etched in my memory for the rest of my life.
At approximately 8:20 in the morning on Tuesday, September 11th, Betty Ong, an American Airlines flight attendant, called our reservations office requesting assistance with a situation on American Airlines Flight 11. Before I describe her call, let me tell you about this brave and courageous individual. Betty Ong, affectionately known by her family and friends as "Bee," was a flight attendant with American Airlines for fourteen years. She was a very caring, warm and loving person. Her zest for life; her passion for her job; her ability to make people laugh; and her concern for mankind is what truly made her, along with her fellow crewmembers, our first heroes of September 11th.
In a very calm, professional and poised demeanor, Betty Ong relayed to us detailed information of the events unfolding on Flight 11. With the assistance of her fellow crewmembers, she was able to provide us with vital information that would later prove crucial to the investigation. Betty's selfless acts of courage and determination may have saved the lives of many others. She provided some important information, which ultimately led to the closing of our nation's airspace for the first time in its history.
For approximately 23 minutes Betty patiently told us that she thought they were being hijacked because two or three men had gained access to the cockpit and the cabin crew couldn't communicate with the pilots. She informed us that two flight attendants had been injured and a passenger might have been fatally stabbed. She indicated that there wasn't a doctor on board but that they were able to administer oxygen to one flight attendant and that she was able to breathe. Although she wasn't able to give us a description of the attackers, she told us the seat locations of these individuals, which helped law enforcement authorities identify the terrorist attackers. The teamwork displayed by Betty and her fellow flight attendants, combined with their extensive training in safety and security, enabled them to relocate the passengers to an area of the cabin out of harm's way.
Several media accounts of what occurred on Flight 11 claimed that Betty was "hysterical with fear," "shrieking" and "gasping for air." I am here to tell this Commission that those accounts are wrong. As I previously stated, Betty was calm, professional and in control throughout the call. I honestly believe after my conversation with Betty that the 81 passengers and 9 crewmembers on Flight 11 had no idea of the fate they were to encounter that day.
Betty, we are here to commemorate you. Your acts of courage on September 11th will never be forgotten. On that day, not only did you have a team of fellow employees in the air; you also had a team pulling together on the ground in Reservations and Security. Your loving family, your American Airlines family and your friends are extremely proud of your selfless actions, and I, for one, will be forever grateful and honored to have had the opportunity to know such a truly remarkable person. On that day you asked "Pray for us." As I assured you then, I will assure you today, "we are," absolutely!

Hero Richard Rescorla 

Rick Rescorla - Medal hope for Cornish 9/11 Hero

Medal hope for Cornish 9/11 hero

A Cornishman who died in the attack on the World Trade Center in New York on 11 September 2001, may be given a posthumous gallantry award.
Rick Rescorla, 62, who was born in Hayle, helped 2,700 people to safety after terrorists flew a plane into the South Tower in New York.
Local MP Andrew George has been told the prime minister will personally ensure his case is considered in the United States.
Mr Rescorla's body was never found.
Cornish songs
The Vietnam War veteran, who was a security chief, died as he helped people to escape following the atrocity.
Survivors said Mr Rescorla sang Cornish songs to keep up the spirits of those around him while making sure they left the building after it was hit by the plane.
Tony Blair wrote to Mr George saying that he will personally see the case for a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George Bush is considered in the United States.
In the letter, Mr Blair wrote: "It appears that no medal has yet been awarded, but we are trying to find out the current position from the US administration.
"If the award is to be made, I believe this would be the most appropriate way to recognise Mr Rescorla's bravery. However, I will certainly see that the matter continues to be fully considered."
Mr George said: "Ricky Rescorla was a proud Cornishman. It would be most appropriate that he received a British award, but I understand that rules apply in these cases."
Mr George says although he is pleased to receive the prime minister's reassurances, he believes something should have been done earlier.
"Frankly it is shameful that we are now nearly four years on from the terrible event itself and Rick Rescorla has not received, posthumously, what all who know about his case believe he richly deserves."
Story from BBC NEWS:

Rick Rescorla - Blair's Excuses for not Honouring 9/11 Hero

BLAIR'S EXCUSES FOR NOT HONOURING 9/11 HERO

Relatives of Rick Rescorla yesterday accused Tony Blair of continuing "trying to find excuses" not to honour the West Twin Towers hero. Their response followed a letter from the Prime Minister to a West MP about the campaign to secure an award for the security man who saved more than 2,700 people in the September 11 attack on the World Trade Centre.The Prime Minister said he would try to see that the case for Mr Rescorla to receive a posthumous medal from President Bush is considered in the US.But yesterday Mr Rescorla's cousin, John Daniel, from Hayle in West Cornwall, said Mr Blair was "sitting on the fence". He said: "He's trying to make excuses not to honour him in this country when he could be setting President Bush a precedent."It's blatantly clear Rick regarded himself as Cornish and British." The British Government has refused to award Mr Rescorla a gallantry medal on the grounds he had only a "tenuous link" with the UK - having taken US citizenship in the 1960s - and because the majority of people he saved were non-UK citizens.In the letter to St Ives MP Andrew George, Mr Blair said: "You may be aware that there has been a campaign in the US to secure a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom for Mr Rescorla. It appears that no medal has yet been awarded but we are trying to find out the current position from the US administration."If the award is to be made I believe this is the most appropriate way of recognising Mr Rescorla's bravery, however, I will certainly see that the matter continues to be considered." Mr Rescorla, who was born in Hayle, West Cornwall, was head of security for the bank of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter when the planes ploughed into the Twin Towers.He was doing a final search of the floor to make sure no-one was left behind when the building collapsed.Many he saved said he was singing Cornish songs to keep up morale.

Still Working on IDs, 9/11 Families Told

Still working on IDs, 9/11 families told
BY BILL EGBERTDAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

The city's chief medical examiner yesterday reaffirmed his pledge to continue the painstaking work of identifying victims of the World Trade Center attacks.
Chief Medical Examiner Charles Hirsch made the promise yesterday at an interfaith prayer service, which featured testimonials from grateful relatives of 9/11 victims.

It came a month after Hirsch said DNA identification of victims should be put on hold until better testing is possible.

"Our work continues," Hirsch told Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Muslim and Buddhist worshipers at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. "It may have paused, but ladies and gentlemen, we will never quit."

To date, 1,161 victims - 42% of the total - remain unaccounted for.
Gordon Haberman of Wisconsin, whose daughter, Andrea, was killed in the attack, recalled yesterday a moment from the Ground Zero memorial service on Sept. 11, 2003, when he recognized a member of the medical examiner's staff. Haberman saw him stoop down during the ceremony to pick up a handful of dirt and sift it through his fingers.

"It hit me like a shot," Haberman said, "that two years later, almost to the hour of my daughter's death, they were still searching."
Terry Strada, whose husband Thomas' remains have yet to be identified, thanked Hirsch and his staff nonetheless for the comfort their tireless efforts have given her.
"Even if Thomas is never found," Strada said, "I am at peace, because I know that all that can be done has been done to find him."

Christie Combs, whose husband Jeffery was aboard American Airlines Flight 11 when it struck the north tower, seemed to speak for other families when she stood to thank Hirsch for his work.

"You have created a bridge from the depths of hell to heaven's gate," Combs said, prompting the congregation to burst into applause. "And you have brought them home." Originally published on April 4, 2005

Bio of America's Most Honored Dog

Biography of America's Most Honored Dog Heralded by One of the World’s Most Admired Women

Download this press release as an Adobe PDF document.

New York, NY (PRWEB via PR Web Direct) April 20, 2005 -- World-renowned scientist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, United Nations Messenger of Peace, has called "Bear: Heart of a Hero - The Story of America's Most Decorated Dog" (Hero Dog Publications) by Captain Scott Shields and Nancy West "one of the best human/animal relationship stories I know of." Bear, along with his dad, Captain Shields, led the first rescue teams at Ground Zero. While tirelessly working the pile, Bear was credited with finding many victims including beloved FDNY Chief Peter Ganci. This biography details Bear's life from an idyllic puppy hood spent along the beaches of Long Island Sound to the center of some of the darkest days in America's history. Bear was honored as a Hero to Humanity by the United Nations, and his photograph was displayed there for the World Peace Celebration in 2003. Three states have declared Captain Shields and Bear Days, including New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Bear has been honored by the United States Army, the 108th United States Congress, and the Queen of England's Scots Guards. On September 11, 2004, the FDNY-EMS Academy in Fort Totten, New York honored the now famous golden by etching his name into a brick that is part of a permanent memorial to the fallen heroes of 9/11. Bear was wounded at Ground Zero and died one year later of multiple forms of cancer. He was buried as a fireman and his memorial service attended by thousands on the USS Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York Harbor.Captain Scott Shields, an emergency management and marine safety specialist, currently serves as president of The Bear Search and Rescue Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises funds for equipment, training, and transportation for search and rescue teams across the country. Co-writer Nancy West is the author of "Chips: The War Dog" (Hero Dog Publications 2004), a children’s novel based on the true-life adventures of the well-known World War II K-9 hero. Hero Dog Publications specializes in publishing books that celebrate the human/canine bond. Hero Dog Publications actively supports the fund raising efforts of animal, environmental, and child-related causes. Media Contact:Nancy West914-525-6483

Jane Goodall Applauds 9/11 Hero Dog's Book

Jane Goodall Applauds 9/11 Hero Dog's Book

Download this press release as an Adobe PDF document.

Dr. Jane Goodall calls 9/11 hero dog's book one of the best human/animal relationship stories she knows of.
New York, NY (PRWEB) April 26, 2005 -- World-renowned scientist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, United Nations Messenger of Peace, has called Bear: Heart of a Hero - The Story of America’s Most Decorated Dog (Hero Dog Publications) by Captain Scott Shields and Nancy West “one of the best human/animal relationship stories I know of.” Bear, along with his dad, Captain Shields, led the first rescue teams at Ground Zero. While tirelessly working the pile, Bear was credited with finding many victims including beloved FDNY Chief Peter Ganci. This biography details Bear’s life from an idyllic puppy hood spent along the beaches of Long Island Sound to the center of some of the darkest days in America’s history. Bear was honored as a Hero to Humanity by the United Nations, and his photograph was displayed there for the World Peace Celebration in 2003. Three states have declared Captain Shields and Bear Days, including New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Bear has been honored by the United States Army, the 108th United States Congress, and the Queen of England’s Scots Guards. On September 11, 2004, the FDNY-EMS Academy in Fort Totten, New York honored the now famous golden by etching his name into a brick that is part of a permanent memorial to the fallen heroes of 9/11. Bear was wounded at Ground Zero and died one year later of multiple forms of cancer. He was buried as a fireman and his memorial service attended by thousands on the USS Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York Harbor.Captain Scott Shields, an emergency management and marine safety specialist, currently serves as president of The Bear Search and Rescue Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises funds for equipment, training, and transportation for search and rescue teams across the country. Co-writer Nancy West is the author of Chips: The War Dog (Hero Dog Publications 2004), a children’s novel based on the true-life adventures of the well-known World War II K-9 hero. Hero Dog Publications specializes in publishing books that celebrate the human/canine bond. Hero Dog Publications actively supports the fund raising efforts of animal, environmental, and child-related causes. Please contact publisher to arrange author interviews.

Rick Rescorla - 9/11 Hero Honored

9/11 Hero honoredMar 8, 2005, 3:48 PM
Fort Benning--

He's credited with saving the lives of thousands of WorldTrade Center employees on September 11th.

Now, the late 9/11 hero is being honored for his bravery Before Rick Rescorla died he almost single-handedly saved the lives of thousands of south tower World Trade Center employees. For them and their families he was no less than a hero.

Now an exhibit honoring Rescorla has been unveiled at the National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning.

"Rick was like an angel leading them out into safety," says his widow, Susan Rescorla. "He was a solider, he was a warrior, and on that day he was doing exactly what he was doing in Vietnam, he was making the last sweep. He was being responsible for everyone."

He worked in the south tower as the vice president of security for Morgan Stanley. When the first plane hit the World trade Center, Rescorla ignored official's advice to stay put and evacuated more than 3,000 employees.

"He was saying to people, 'Today is a day to be proud to be an American, because tomorrow the world is going to be looking at you,'" says Susan Rescorla.

The 62-year old was last seen walking upstairs looking for stragglers. Rescorla was a retired Army colonel who fought in Vietnam, and was awarded both the Silver and Bronze Stars and the Purple Heart. "These medals should not stay in a house. They should not be hidden away, and what better place to have the medals than to have them here so the legacy goes on," she says.
Now those medals, along with a portrait of a 26-year old Rescorla fighting in Vietnam, will forever be part of the National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning where he was an officers candidate school graduate.

"He was a hero to just about everybody that knew him. That was just his nature to do things that were above and beyond what the average man will do," says Rescorla's best friend and retired Army Captain Daniel Hill.

Though he retired years before September 11th, for those who know his story, it's as if Rescorla died in the duty.

Rick Rescorla was also a key figure in the Vietnam War book We Were Soldiers Once... and Young.

His widow is working to get President Bush to award Rescorla the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Michael Cawley - FDNY Family's Portrait of Bravery

FDNY family's portrait of bravery

BY DEREK ROSEDAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Daily News cartoonist Bill Gallo (l.) presents Firefighter Brendan Cawley of Ladder Co. 27 with a portrait of his older brother Michael, a member of Ladder Co. 136 killed on 9/11.

-->A firefighter on the mend from a deadly Bronx blaze got a boost last week when he was presented with a portrait of his late brother - an FDNY 9/11 hero he calls his guardian angel.
Brendan Cawley, 31, says he'll treasure Daily News cartoonist Bill Gallo's portrait of his older brother Michael, whom he credits with saving his life in the January blaze that killed two Bravest.

Cawley plans to frame his brother's portrait and give out copies at a benefit in Michael's honor, scheduled for 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 2 at Mulcahy's in Wantagh, L.I.

The event will raise money for the Mid-Hudson Valley Camp, a summer camp for needy children Michael was involved in.

"I think Michael was with me that day" of the fire, Brendan Cawley said. "He probably said, 'I can't let Brendan go - he's [going to] my benefit in April.'"

Brendan Cawley suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung after jumping from the fourth-story inferno Jan. 23.

Lt. Curtis Meyran and Firefighter John Bellew died from the fall, while three other Bravest suffered serious injuries.

"I pray every day for these guys, and for the families of the two that were lost, John [Bellew] and Lt. [Curtis] Meyran," he said. "Every day I get up and think about the Bellews and the Meyrans. They are forever in our hearts."

Cal Grants Achievement Award in Name of 9-11 Hero

Cal Grants Achievement Award In Name of 9-11 Hero
Apr 10, 2005 11:43 am US/Pacific-

An achievement award for U.C. Berkeley graduates now bears the name of a man who led passengers aboard Flight 93 on September 11, 2001.

The California Alumni Association will present its first Mark Bingham Excellence in Achievement Award next Saturday to an engineering graduate who helped with the Mars Rover landings.

Wayne Lee, who received his degree from Berkeley 15 years ago, is being honored for his work as the Chief Engineer for the team that brought the two robotic landers "from the edge of space, moving at 12,000 miles an hour." The achievement, said is to "get them down to the ground six minutes later, safely in one piece."

Lee said he is humbled by the Bingham award.

"Here's a man who has sacrificed his life for the sake of the country. There's just no greater sacrifice you can make than that," Lee told KCBS reporter Dave McQueen. "To be able to get an award in his name is just a tremendous honor. In fact, it's equal to being able to have participated on the Mars landings themselves."

Lee will be presented with the award at the California Alumni Association's gala banquet next Saturday at Fort Mason.

(10:40am, jro)

9-11 Memorial - Tribute Artwork Project

“Faces of the Brave”
“Non-Profit” Tribute Artwork Project

The "Faces of the Brave" (FOTB) “Non-Profit” Tribute Artwork Project has been created as a lasting Tribute to Honor the lives of the fallen New York Emergency Services Personnel and other Heroes lost on 9-11 by putting their faces before the public. No longer will the thought of these brave men and women become a fading memory or mere statistic, there are more than 500 individual portraits to remind us of the personal sacrifice made that tragic day.

After more than 3 ½ years of Research, Las Vegas artist Randy Soard has located each of the Surviving Family representatives (Estate Administrators) of the fallen Heroes lost on 9/11 and has invited each of them to participate in the “Faces of the Brave” Tribute Artwork Project. The artwork contains the images of 346 Firefighters (includes 3 retired FDNY), 23 Policemen (NYPD), 37 Port Authority Officers (PAPD), 16 Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs-Paramedics), 3 New York State Court Officers, 2 (1 Active & 1 Retired) FBI Agents, 1 Secret Service Agent, 42 Security Officers, 11 Civilian-Volunteer Firefighters, 7 Civilian-Volunteer Fire Marshals and 20 Civilian heroes lost on 9/11.

All of the surviving families have been requested to provide one or two images of their fallen “family member” to be used in the artwork (a different image from the image(s) attached to the “Photo-Release” if they so choose). The “Final Version” of the “Faces of the Brave” artwork will “ONLY” contain images that have been legally authorized by the Estate Administrators (via a “Photo Release”). Many of the images provided to the artist by the survivors are from private collections and have never been viewed by the public.

Once the participation of the surviving families has been legally authorized and licensed, the artwork will then be printed and made available to the general public for purchase. 100% of the profits from the sale of the “Faces of the Brave” artwork will be gifted directly to the surviving families of the fallen Heroes or to the Charity, Foundation or Scholarship Funds of their choice.

The primary goal of this Project is to display the “Faces of the Brave” Artwork in public setting across the country and around the world including all Fire-Rescue Stations, Police & Paramedic-EMT Operations and Training Facilities, Educational Institutions (Schools, Universities), Hospitals and Medical Centers, Museums, Military Bases, Theaters, Transportation Terminals (Airports, Ferry, Rail, Bus, Cruise), Financial Institutions (Banks, Credit Unions and Brokerages), Municipal-County-Federal Court Houses, Sport Stadiums (College & Professional), Departments of the U.S. Government and all U.S. Embassies located World Wide. The “Faces of the Brave” artwork will also become a part of traveling and permanent public exhibits at State Fairs, Indoor Malls, Public Libraries and Building Murals dedicated to honoring those lost on 9-11.

For Additional Information, please contact us at the following:

Randy Soard
Las Vegas, Nevada

Email: RandySoard@hotmail.com
Web: http://www.bravefaces.com/