He Was Going to Get the Family Dog

Eight years ago Christopher C. Newton got on American Airlines Flight 77 to California. He and his family had moved to Ashburn, Virginia so he would not have to travel so much. He was head of Work/Life Benefits which was founded in 1982 to provide work, life training to corporations for their employees. He was educated at California Polytech University and the Anderson School at UCLA. His wife Amy, son Michael and daughter Sarah were happy that he would not have to travel so much.

Christopher Newton was a very private person who loved his family and a good game of golf. He took American Airlines Flight 77 on September 11, 2001 so that he could go back to California to get the family dog. He never made it there. Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon that fatal morning.

We all, as Americans, remember that day. Many of us watched our televisions as the horror of the attack on our country began. We watched helplessly as the Twin Towers fell. We watched as the Pentagon was breached. We learned of the heroism of passengers who fought off the hijackers and probably saved more lives by crashing the plane in that empty field. We remember. The images are seared into our brains. Let us never forget those 2996 people who lost their lives that day. Let us always remember what this country has stood for and why we must honor these brave people who lost their lives on 9/11/01.