Remembering Those Lost on 9/11 with Ties to Flint & Michigan

As we stop and remember that fateful day 21 years ago that shook our country to the core, it's comforting to know that we still honor and remember those lost.

Social media was flooded today with people taking the time to stop and reflect on the September 11, 2001 attacks that claimed the lives of 2997 and left countless others injured. Of those fatal victims, 2,753 were killed in the World Trade Center and the surrounding area, 184 at the Pentagon, and 40 in Pennsylvania. These deaths included 265 on the four planes. The attacks remain the deadliest terrorist act in world history. 

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Even today, most of us remember exactly where we were when the world stopped. It seems almost every state, or even community, felt the loss in one way or another. As we remember those tragically taken away on that September morning, we want to take a moment to honor a few of those 42 victims with ties to Michigan, including those from right here in Genesee County.

Todd Beamer, a Flint native, was just 32 years old. He was a passenger on United Flight 93 and was part of the infamous contingency of passengers who tried to take down the plane's hijackers. It is Beamer's voice heard saying the iconic phrase, "Let's roll!" over the airphone.

Eric Lee Bennett was 29-years-old and also a native of Flint and a graduate of Kearsley High School. Bennett also attended and played football at Ferris State University. Bennett was working as the vice president of the Alliance Consulting Group on the 102nd floor of the north tower in the World Trade Center when the planes hit.

Barbara Edwards, a 58-years-old and a native of Wyoming, Michigan was a passenger on Flight 77 when it crashed into the Pentagon.

Suzanne Kondratenko was only 27-years-old when she lost her life in the attacks. She was a native of Romeo, Michigan. Kondratenko was at a meeting with Aon Insurance executives on the 92nd floor of the north tower.
James Gartenberg was the president of the University of Michigan Alumni Club of New York for 12 years.  He was 38 years old and had a 2-year-old daughter, and another child on the way with his wife. Gartenberg was working for Julien J. Studley Inc., at the time. The company was in the process of moving from the World Trade Center to an office in midtown at the time of the tragic attack.

Meredith Lynn Whalen at 23 years old, the Canton, Michigan native was a research associate with Fred Alger Management and a graduate of the University of Michigan.

You can view the entire list of Michiganders lost on September 11, 2001 here. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the families and friends of those lost. We will always remember those who gave their lives, perished by the unthinkable, and the many heroes of that day.