REMEMBERING 9/11

On Sunday, September 10th, the Veterans Memorial & Support Foundation will be celebrating the lives of 9/11 survivors, victims, and local heroes at their “Remembering 9/11” celebration planned to be held from 5 PM – 6:15 PM at The Flame of Liberty Memorial upon the Los Gatos Civic Center Lawn, 110 East Main Street, Los Gatos. The event is FREE and OPEN to ALL. Seats are limited. Individuals are encouraged to register their intent to attend at honorAvet.org.

Two local heroes who will be honored, Los Gatos High School alumni Mark Bingham and Todd Beamer, who acted on instinct based on a foundation of values built over their relatively young lives. Mark Bingham and Todd Beamer were aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which, on the morning of September 11th, 2001, departed Newark, NJ airport destined for San Francisco. The plane left Newark with terrorist hijackers secretly on board whose plan was to transform the passenger aircraft into a missile intended to decimate the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. and all within it, thus bringing the United States government to an abrupt shutdown. Fellow hijackers had already crashed into the World Trade Center and Pentagon, crippling America’s Wall Street financial hub and terrorizing the U.S. defense system.

Mark and Todd and two additional on-board passengers – Jeremy Glick and Tom Burnett- courageously breached the plane’s cockpit to take back control. Flight 93 crashed into an empty field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, rather than the Capitol Building. The actions of the four-passenger pickup team thwarted the terrorists’ mission. Their actions saved thousands of Washingtonian lives and preserved our government at a time when there was a critical call to action. Our hometown heroes, Todd Beamer and Mark Bingham, took on the first civilian 9/11 counterattack to terrorist acts at the expense of their own lives.

In addition to elements of remembrance, the tribute will include remarks from Mayor Maria Ristow and a performance of musical tunes by the talented Summit Sisters.

The Veterans Foundation of Los Gatos is a 501(c) 3 non-profit local enterprise now in its eleventh year, staffed 100% by volunteers who desire to honor, express gratitude and support those who support America’s freedom, educate the public on the sacrifices borne by those who serve, and improve the lives of veterans. More information about the Foundation and its mission can be viewed at www.honorAvet.org.