Connie’s Trip To Shanksville, 9-15-21

You all remember that Shanksville, PA was the site where Flight 93 crashed on 9-11. What you may not know is that Connie and Roy’s cousin, Tom Burnett, was on that flight and was part of the group of passengers who said “let’s roll!” as they stormed the cockpit to take over the plane.

Tom’s cousins met at Shanksville for the very moving tribute by George Bush last Saturday. Here are some photos and notes from Connie.

5 of the 8 cousins
On Thursday evening Larry Jacobson carried Tom’s luminary
An artist did portraits of the 40 passengers and flight crew. They were placed beside the flight path at the museum.
The site from the rock, through the wall, to the museum.
This is taken from the museum. It is lined with the “wall of names” and then out to the rock
This is called the “Tower of Voices” – 40 chimes representing the 40 passengers and crew. It was quiet when we were there but like Iowa it is usually windy and creates music.
Madison, Halley, Anna Clare – Tom’s daughters and Deena, Tom’s wife

Connie told me about their trip – she is so glad they went as it was a moving tribute to Flight 93. Last Friday night NBC had a super one hour program about the families of those on Flight 93 – the reactions and shock that registered with all of them when they realized their loved one wasn’t coming home.

37 thoughts on “Connie’s Trip To Shanksville, 9-15-21

  1. Judy Yelton

    Thank you for sharing this beautiful tribute to Flight 93. Sending many blessings to all the families who lost a loved one on 9/11.

  2. Martha

    It is an honor to see these photographs and to know of Connie and Roy’s relationship to Flight 93. I saw their cousin’s family interviewed as part of a moving tribute to those heroes who diverted this plane to Pennsylvania. How moving it would be to hear those chimes ring!

  3. Margie Fisher in CA

    thank you for sharing this, Connie and Mary. Did you know Pepperdine University in Malibu has a tribute to Tom Burnett, a memorial called Heroes Garden, high on the hill overlooking the Pacific. We’ve visited it often, and now we know he was Connie’s cousin ! and a graduate of Pepperdine. Also this month they have 3000 flags placed on the hill, honoring all those lost on 9/11. As you drive along Pacific Coast Highway, you cannot help but be moved by that sight.

  4. Charlotte

    What a beautiful family. I pray that Americans are always worthy of the extraordinary sacrifice and courage that Tom and all Americans on that flight made that day. God bless and keep them.

  5. Karen Gaither

    Thank you for sharing Connie and Mary. I saw Deanna interviewed on 20/20. Still so numbing that the World Trade Towers fell, Pentagon was hit and Flight 93 went down in the field and so many lost their lives.

  6. Shirley

    Thank you for sharing. We are all profoundly grateful for their sacrifice. God Bless them and the goodness in the world.
    Much love and hugs to their families.
    NEVER FORGET.

  7. Carol Schmidt

    This makes a heroes story so very personal. Thanks to Connie for sharing part of her familie”s history and for you publishing it. Is it sharable?

  8. Charlotte Shira

    Thank you for sharing Connie and Mary. It is a beautiful memorial. They were brave unselfish souls. There is also a small church near this site that United employees turned into a memorial before this one was built. It has a piece of the tower and a tribute to those on the plane.

  9. Ila Benzing

    Thank you for sharing this. We visited this site 5 years ago and found it very moving. Your pictures added to our understanding of it. Our sympathy and gratitude to the families of all of the victims. Ila

  10. Kathy Hanson

    Connie, so glad you were able to visit the site on this anniversary! It must have been so heart wrenching!
    Mary, thank you for sharing this with all of us! we need to always remember the sacrifice of all those who did the unimaginable to save many others!

  11. Kathy in western NY

    Thank you Connie for sharing your personal experience on that trip to honor these heroes. It was a moving ceremony to watch. And I cried of course thinking of those voices calling loved ones during the bravery of the ones trying to prevent the plane from going into the White House.

  12. Cheryl

    Connie, thank you for sharing your families story. 20 years later and the heroism of the Flight 93 passengers was given a more clear understanding of what happened to them. And ultimately what they did with utmost patriotism. Thank the Lord for their sacrifice!

  13. Beryl BC

    Thanks for sharing. I remember there was an Iowa connection to Mr. Burnett, but did not know he was a cousin of Connie and Mary.

  14. Jan Reid

    Thank you Mary, and Connie and family, for sharing with us. What a brave group of people on that plane.

  15. Jo in Wyoming

    Beautiful, just beautiful.
    I still get a tear when I think about the speech President Bush gave there last week. Now we have a connection to the site.
    Good love them.

  16. Sherrill

    I hope to visit the Shanksville site as well as the memorial in NYC. I’ve visited the memorial in Okla. City where the federal bldg. was bombed and it is so awesome. It always makes me feel like I should only whisper in that place. I love the chairs (big and small) and the “Jesus Wept” statue. So glad Connie was able to be there for the tribute and thanks for sharing with us.

  17. Kim J LeMere

    Thank you for sharing with us and letting us be a part of your journey. I thank those that gave all on that dreadful day to save so many.

  18. Tanya T in Houston

    Such a terrific connection for us all! I thought Bush was rather eloquent at times in his speech. PS Margie, my mother-in-law was a proud early graduate of Pepperdine, Mary Appleberry.

  19. Glenda Fletcher

    Thank you Connie for sharing and to Mary for putting it on email. That was such a sad day when so
    many lives were lost. I can tell people now that I know one of Flight 93 heroes was Connie’s cousin.
    Thank you again .

  20. Jeanie S, Central Illinois

    Thank you for sharing your very touching story, Connie. There were some extremely brave souls on that flight.

  21. patti leal

    thank you for sharing the family connection and your trip to shanksville. there were so many heroes on that day twenty years ago. whenever i sit and remember this act, it still sends chills down my back. some of you may know cindy blackburg. she does piecing, english paper piecing. she and mary sorenson (of applique fame) would have retreats and a friend and i would go.*cindy lost a nephew (i think that’s right) from the first tower that fell. it’s amazing learning the connections that are there. we have strayed so far from our unity of that time. i wish we had it back. cindy and mary were in my local guild for a long time and also taught in my store. known them both for a long long time. hugs to all, patti in florida

  22. Paula M Philpot

    Connie so glad you got to go, I watched the tribute on TV about that flight. So sorry for the loss. The daughters and wife are beautiful. Paula in KY

  23. PAt

    That was so nice of you Connie to share with us I watched the tribute and all the news of the happenings that day. God Bless the passengers of that flight. Thank you for sharing

  24. Lynn in Scottsdale

    I am so proud and grateful for those brave souls that fought back on Flight 93.

    USA! USA! USA!

  25. Janice Hebert

    Such a terrible day in our history but the nation did pull together and we got through it. I cried watching the tribute to the victims of that day and now I’m crying again. Thank you for sharing Mary, we need to remember these things. Many people have been born since this day and have no recollection of what we all witnessed. It’s good to be reminded. I worry about the direction this country is headed now. There are people who want to change things, that don’t have a love of country and all that America stands for. We need to stand up to these people. We need stay united, don’t let them divide us. Jan in MA

  26. Amy

    I remember during camp when we found out Connie’s cousin was on that flight. It really brought the whole thing home. So glad Connie and Roy were able to attend and thanks for the pictures, it would be a nice place to visit and pay respect to that brave group of people.

  27. Judy

    Thank you Connie for sharing this post. Such a sad day for your family and for the rest of the country. We can all be thankful for the heroes that brought down that flight at the loss of their own lives. There is no knowing how many lives they saved on that day. It is a day that we should never forget and that showed the world what Americans are made of.

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