Betty Days

Dear Betty,

My name is Joe Patterson. You don’t know me, but we share a birthday. You might be surprised when I tell you, but you’re famous. In our day in age you are known as a hero because of the event that led to your death.

On the morning of September 11th, 2001 the plane you were attending to, American Airlines Flight 11 was hijacked and crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. You were one of the 87 innocent victims aboard that flight. You had absolutely no way of knowing what was gonna happen to you that morning, but what you also didn’t know was that the hijacking and crashing of your flight was only a quarter of a larger scheme that would in time become known as the 9/11 attacks.

After your plane was crashed three more planes were hijacked and crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon in Washington D.C. and an empty field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania after the passengers aboard that flight heard about the fates of your plane and the two others and decided to fight back against their hijackers. That revolt forced the hijackers on that plane to crash the airplane into the ground, killing all on board, but saving many others from what was supposed to be a fourth crash in Washington D.C.

Nearly 3000 people lost their lives in this attack. The World Trade Center collapsed and the city sized dust cloud of the debris effected the health of nearly 10,000 people, over 6,000 of which have died overtime leading up to this very year because of the health complications caused by the collapse of the Twin Towers. So the senseless attack that took your life is still taking lives to this day. Part of what made this day so terrible is the entire world watched your deaths on live television in fear and horror. In the aftermath the country went to war with the terrorist network that was responsible for your death. We are still at war with them to this day.

September 11th, 2001 will forever be known as one of the darkest days in world history, but even in the midst of all that evil there was a silver lining and that silver lining was you Betty, you and all the other heroes from that day. You probably wouldn’t agree if someone said it to you, but you are one of the many heroes from that fateful day. You Betty, were the first voice against the attack on 9/11 that alerted the nation to its impending doom. That phone call you made to the American Airlines reservation center in my home state of North Carolina is now an important artifact of history: “Ok my name is Betty Ong and I’m number three on Flight 11…”

The story of your bravery you displayed in the face danger is etched in the hearts of us who know your story. The voices of you and your fellow friend and flight attendant Amy Sweeney from American 11 was the first line of defense against what the country was facing that morning. Your flight crew did such an amazing job at keeping everyone as calm as possible amidst the unfolding evil that morning. The greatest regret that so many of us have is that you all couldn’t have been saved from certain death. An even greater regret was that we never had the pleasure to know you while you were still alive.

Though I myself didn’t have a direct connection to the events of September 11th, 2001, that day had a tremendous impact on me and I always studied the history of everyone involved, including you, Betty. When I learned your history I really felt like I connected with you in spirit. I learned that we share a birthday and you are from the Bay Area in California. All of my maternal family is from the Bay Area, so I’d like to think that I would’ve ran into one day had you survived that fateful day.

I gained a whole new level of respect and admiration for you when I learned that you had faced danger before and had your life threatened in your young life, but displayed courage even then. I also learned that you were a natural humanitarian when you witnessed a car accident of an acquaintance and you rushed to their side to provide help with no hesitation. One decade after you gained your wings the recreation center that you used to play at as a child was named after you in your honor. You have been honored in so many ways that I can’t even begin to explain.

Your name has been etched in American history because you are a hero, Betty. You were so full of life and I really hate that I never had a chance to meet you, but I am glad that I know your legacy and you are one of my heroes. Happy heavenly birthday, Betty Ann Ong.