Thread: September 11, 2008

Gerard Arpey's remarks made at memorial service at the AA Flight Academy on the one year anniversary of the tragic events of 9/11.

<span style="font-family:Tahoma">FLIGHT ACADEMY MEMORIAL – SEPT. 11, 2002

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME. WE&#39;RE HERE THIS MORNING TO REMEMBER, AND HONOR THE LIVES OF THE AMERICAN AIRLINES FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WERE TAKEN FROM US ON THIS MORNING ONE YEAR AGO TODAY.

THE EVENTS OF THIS PAST YEAR WERE, I THINK, A PARTICULAR REMINDER TO ALL OF US JUST HOW FRAGILE LIFE REALLY IS. WE DISCOVERED HOW VULNERABLE WE ARE AND THAT CAN BE PRETTY FRIGHTENING. BUT, WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT BEING VULNERABLE TO THE UGLINESS, DANGERS AND HEARTACHE OF THIS WORLD IS THE PRICE WE PAY TO REMAIN OPEN TO THE BEAUTY, ROMANCE AND WONDER OF LIFE.

THIS MORNING WE REMEMBER AND HONOR THE FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES WE&#39;VE LOST, BUT WE ALSO TAKE COMFORT AND STRENGTH FROM THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT ARE WITH US STILL, AND FROM THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE ATROCITY OF SEPTEMBER 11TH HAS BROUGHT US ALL A LITTLE CLOSER TOGETHER.

EVERYONE HERE KNOWS THAT THE POWER, THE MAJESTY, AND THE VIBRANCY OF THIS GREAT COMPANY IS NOT IN ITS AIRPLANES, OR ITS BUILDINGS, OR EVEN IN ITS STORIED HISTORY, IT IS IN ITS PEOPLE - ALL OF YOU GATHERED HERE THIS MORNING.

YEARS FROM NOW, OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN WILL PROBABLY ASK US WHAT IT WAS LIKE - AND WHAT WE DID DURING THOSE CHAOTIC AND FRIGHTENING DAYS IN THE AFTERMATH OF 9/11.

WE CAN TELL THEM ABOUT THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE, HOW WE PULLED TOGETHER AS A NATION, HOW WE ALL PROUDLY DISPLAYED THE AMERICAN FLAG AND GAVE OF OURSELVES TO THOSE IN NEED.

WE CAN ALSO TELL THEM THAT IN MANY WAYS THE ADVERSITY WE FACED AS A COMPANY INTRODUCED US TO OUR REAL SELVES. WE LEARNED QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF AMERICAN AIRLINES DURING THOSE FRIGHTENING DAYS. WE LEARNED ABOUT THE SKILL AND RESOURCEFULNESS OF OUR COLLEAGUES AT SOC, WHO HELPED GUIDE OUR AIRCRAFT SAFELY TO THE GROUND IN THE HOURS AFTER THE ATTACK. WE LEARNED ABOUT THE COURAGE OF OUR PILOTS AND FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WHO HAD THE FORTITUDE TO GET BACK ON OUR AIRCRAFT WHEN SERVICE RESUMED.

AND WE LEARNED OF THE PROFESSIONALISM AND COMMITMENT OF ALL OUR EMPLOYEES, AS THEY SET ASIDE THEIR OWN WORRIES TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CUSTOMERS, AND SET ABOUT THE TASK OF REBUILDING THE AIRLINE WE CALL HOME.

ADVERSITY INTRODUCED US TO AN AMERICAN AIRLINES THAT WAS STRONGER, KINDER, MORE RESILIENT, AND SIMPLY BETTER THAN WE COULD EVER HAVE IMAGINED OR HOPED.

LET US HONOR TOGETHER THE 23 MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN AIRLINES FAMILY WE LOST ON 9/11, WITH THE DEDICATION OF THIS PLAQUE AND THE PLANTING OF THIS TREE, AND MAY THEY REPRESENT A SOURCE OF STRENGTH AND INSPIRATION FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

THE NAMES OF THE AMERICAN AIRLINES FAMILY MEMBERS LOST ON 9/11 ARE INSCRIBED ON THIS PLAQUE, WHOSE NAMES I WILL NOW READ.

FROM FLIGHT 11:
CAPTAIN JOHN OGONOWSKI
FIRST OFFICER THOMAS McGUINNESS
FLIGHT ATTENDANT BARBARA "BOBBI" ARESTEGUI
FLIGHT ATTENDANT JEFFREY "JEFF" COLLMAN
FLIGHT ATTENDANT SARA LOW
FLIGHT ATTENDANT KAREN MARTIN
FLIGHT ATTENDANT KATHLEEN "KATHY" NICOSIA
FLIGHT ATTENDANT BETTY ONG
FLIGHT ATTENDANT JEAN ROGĖR
FLIGHT ATTENDANT DIANNE SNYDER
FLIGHT ATTENDANT MADELINE "AMY" SWEENEY

OTHER AMERICAN FAMILY MEMBERS ON BOARD FLIGHT 11:
RENEE NEWELL
LAURIE NEIRA

FROM FLIGHT 77:
CAPTAIN CHARLES "CHIC" BURLINGAME
FIRST OFFICER DAVID CHARLEBOIS
FLIGHT ATTENDANT MICHELE HEIDENBERGER
FLIGHT ATTENDANT JENNIFER LEWIS
FLIGHT ATTENDANT KENNETH LEWIS
FLIGHT ATTENDANT RENEE MAY

OTHER AMERICAN FAMILY MEMBERS ON BOARD FLIGHT 77:
MARY JANE BOOTH
EDDIE DILLARD
RETIRED CAPTAIN BUD FLAGG AND HIS WIFE DEE

PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENT REFLECTION.

WHILE THE ENTIRE NATION PAUSES TODAY TO REFLECT AND REMEMBER THOSE WE&#39;VE LOST, WE AT AMERICAN AIRLINES CAN’T HELP BUT WONDER "WHY US?" WHY WERE WE SINGLED OUT TO BE MADE TOOLS OF HATRED AND DESTRUCTION? WHILE I WON&#39;T STOOP TO PONDER THE MOTIVATION OF A TERRORIST, I WILL SAY THIS: AIRLINES ARE THE NATURAL ENEMIES OF HATE. WE ARE THE EMBODIMENT OF THE FREEDOM, AND CROSS-CULTURAL INTERACTION THAT TERRORISTS DESPISE. AIRLINES TEAR DOWN WALLS, BLUR BORDERS, AND HELP ERASE IGNORANT STEREOTYPES. WE ARE THE ENGINE THAT POWERS THE FREE FLOW OF PEOPLE, IDEAS, GOODS AND SERVICES, HUGS AND LOVE.

LET US LEAVE HERE THIS MORNING WITH OUR HEADS HELD HIGH, OUR SPIRITS STRONG, DETERMINED TO HOLD ON TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE WE LOST AND TO THE STRENGTH, THE KINDNESS, THE RESILIENCY THAT REVEALED THEMSELVES IN OUR DARKEST HOUR.

LET US HOLD ON TO OUR OPTIMISM - TO OUR FAITH IN A BRIGHTER TOMORROW - AND TO OUR TRUST THAT THERE IS A MEANING AND A HIGHER PURPOSE BEYOND OUR UNDERSTANDING.

LET US HOLD ON TO THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE WORK WE DO MAKES THE WORLD A BETTER, MORE PEACEFUL PLACE, AND BRINGS JOY TO MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.

LET US HOLD ON TO A RENEWED APPRECIATION OF THE MANY BLESSINGS WE ENJOY, INCLUDING EACH OTHER.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING - GODSPEED TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES, AND MAY GOD BLESS AMERICAN AIRLINES.</span>