James Moorhouse
Warning: This article contains content which some readers may find distressing.
Today marks 24 years since the horrific 9/11 attack which remains the deadliest act of terrorism in history. But things could have been even worse if it weren't for the heroic actions of Tom Burnett.
More than two decades on from 11 September 2001, some victims are still being identified, with 2,976 people tragically losing their lives and thousands more left with life-changing injuries or memories.
The World Trade Center was targeted by two of the hijacked planes while another hit the Pentagon in Virginia, but a fourth was seemingly on the way to either the White House or the Capitol building, where hundreds more could have lost their lives.
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Four terrorists from Osama Bin Laden's Al-Qaeda organisation were present on board United Airlines Flight 93 and armed with knives, guns and a bomb, they had taken control of the plane just 46 minutes after it took off from Newark International Airport.
However, upon learning from his wife that other planes had hit the twin towers, Tom Burnett made himself a hero by leading a revolt against those on board.
In a phone call to his wife Deena, Tom said: “Our airplane has been hijacked. It’s United Flight 93 — Newark to San Francisco. We are in the air. The hijackers have already knifed a guy, one of them has a gun, they are telling us there is a bomb on board, please call the authorities."
Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that there was little the authorities could do and after making sure that his three children were all ok and unaware of the situation, Burnett made it clear he wasn't going to sit back and let it happen.
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“We can’t wait for the authorities,” said Burnett. “I don’t know what they could do anyway. It’s up to us. I think we can do it… Pray, Deena, just pray… Don’t worry, we’re going to do something.”
Burnett and several other passengers, including Mark Bingham, Todd Beamer and Jeremy Glick, started a revolt against the terrorists and were reportedly seconds away from thwarting them when the plane crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
All 44 people on board died instantly, with the plane just 20 minutes away from the hijacker's destination of Washington D.C.
Burnett has since been recognised as a hero for the lives he undoubtedly helped to save on that fateful day.
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A street outside his old company was renamed in his honour, a memorial was set up in his name, while his local post office was also dedicated to the father-of-three.
Burnett's nephew Devin O’Brien said: “We tend to focus on how people died that day. But I’d like to see us focus not on how those people died, but on how they lived. Especially in their last moments. On all the acts of heroism we saw that day… Tom and the other passengers who decided to act and retake control of that plane… they really showed the best of humanity.”