Mark Bingham

Mark was one of the passengers on flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania on Tuesday 11 September. It is believed that he and another passenger helped prevent the hijackers from reaching their intended target. I've known Mark since the mid-90s and I'm so grateful that I got to spend time with him a week before this tragedy. He was 6-foot-5 and easy to spot in a crowd. He was outgoing and naturally gregarious. While we were in New Orleans, he would call people over and encourage them to join our conversation. We met some sorority girls from Ohio that way. We walked around with them for the next 20 minutes just having so much fun... He was so nonchalant about the fresh scar on his leg that he acquired while running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, earlier this summer, that I believe he would have stood up to the hijackers. He will definitely be missed a great deal...

Mark's Magic Continues

I was really touched to read this note from the letters to the editor column in the February 2002 issue of Vanity Fair magazine.

"WITH REVERENCE I cut out the photograph in your magazine
of Mark Bingham, who, along with the other passengers and
crew members, was responsible for diverting United Flight 93
away from its intended target in D.C. ["Manifest Courage. by
Bryan Burrough, December]. My son works across the street
from the Capitol. I framed this small picture and put it on my
kitchen wall. Every day I nod my head to it, smile, and give
good thoughts of thanks to Mr. Bingham."
ELSIN ANN PERRY
Knoxville, Tennessee

An Official Online Memorial

Some of Mark's friends have set up an online memorial for him at:

http://www.markbingham.org