20 Facts About Todd Beamer

Todd Morgan Beamer was an American passenger aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked and crashed as part of the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Todd Beamer was one of the passengers who attempted to regain control of the aircraft from the hijackers.

Todd Beamer was born on November 24,1968, in Flint, Michigan, to David Beamer, an IBM sales representative, and Peggy Jackson Beamer, a muralist, the middle child of three and only son.

Todd Beamer attended Wheaton Academy, a Christian high school, from 1983 to 1985, where he excelled in the same sports.

Todd Beamer was elected class vice president in his junior year.

Todd Beamer attended California State University, Fresno, where he majored in physical therapy and played baseball, in the hopes of playing professionally, but injuries he suffered in an automobile accident ended these plans.

Todd Beamer returned home to Illinois and transferred to Wheaton College, a Christian liberal arts college.

Todd Beamer continued to play baseball and as a senior became captain of the basketball team.

Todd Beamer married Brosious on May 14,1994, in Peekskill, New York, and they moved to Plainsboro, New Jersey, where Todd Beamer began working with Oracle Corporation, selling systems applications and database software as a field marketing representative.

Todd Beamer was a staunch fan of the Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bulls, and Chicago Bears.

Todd Beamer's work required him to travel up to four times a month, sometimes for as long as a week.

Todd Beamer left home at 6:15 am the next morning, to take an early flight from Newark to San Francisco to meet with representatives of the Sony Corporation at 1:00 pm, planning to return on a red-eye flight that night.

Todd Beamer tried to place a credit card call through a phone located on the back of a plane seat, but was routed to a customer-service representative, who passed him on to GTE airphone supervisor Lisa Jefferson.

Todd Beamer stated that two of the hijackers had knives, and that one appeared to have a bomb strapped around his waist.

Todd Beamer told Jefferson that the group was planning to "jump on" the hijackers and fly the plane into the ground before the hijackers' plan could be followed through.

Todd Beamer recited the Lord's Prayer and the 23rd Psalm with Jefferson, prompting others to join in.

Todd Beamer was survived by his wife, Lisa, their sons, David and Andrew, who were three and one at the time of Todd Beamer's death, and their daughter Morgan.

Todd Beamer's daughter, Morgan Kay, was born January 9,2002, four months after Todd Beamer's death.

In 2002, the passengers of Flight 93, including Todd Beamer, were posthumously awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.

On September 10,2013, Wheaton Academy honored Todd Beamer by unveiling a plaque dedicated to him on the grounds of the Academy, next to a plaque of a former student who was killed in Afghanistan.