Picture taken by: Dallas Morning News, G.J. McCarthy/Staff Photographer

I will be attending an American Airlines 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony tomorrow morning. This ceremony will be held to honor and pay our respects to crew members and others whose lives were either taken by the terrorists or laid down in the act of saving others on that fateful day 13 years ago. The toll of that day was heavy for American Airlines. American lost their metal and money but most importantly they lost 17 men and women working on the crews that day along with all the passengers on those two aircraft:

AA Flight 11 carried 2 flight deck crew and 9 flight attendants. It was crashed by evil men into the World Trade Center

AA Flight 77 was sent like a missile into the Pentagon and held 2 pilots and 4 flight attendants along with a retired American Airlines Captain as a passenger.

On the eve of the infamous day in history now known simply as 9/11 I've been doing some thinking. All Americans will forever remember what they were doing and where they were on that day~September 11, 2001. I read an article (link below) about some perfectly preserved flight attendant wings that somehow made it through crashing into the Pentagon. The wings seemed to be indestructible surviving through the full tank of jet fuel’s fire and the buildings and rubbish that collapsed on them. They were found in near perfect condition and finally returned to the C.R.Smith Museum at our training facility where I got to see them on display.

Seriously, those wings of a flight attendant mean something so special to me…For one thing they are DAMN HARD to get but most importantly they are worn by all of the Warriors of the Sky. The heart of a flight attendant is BRAVE, RESPONSIBLE and COMPASSIONATE. We have wings on our heart too…to love and serve you and protect you. Our ultimate goal is to keep each and every one of our passengers safe even if we suffer in the process. The Captain and First Officer are allowed to come and go on the plane (unless we are in the air;) but not one flight attendant is allowed to leave the plane if there is even a single solitary passenger onboard. Taking care of the plane is the pilots responsibility but taking care of you is ours. We are frequently the first ones on the plane and the last ones off. Those "miracle" wings remind me that the flight attendants on American Airliness Flight 11 and Flight 77 were faithful until the end to their duties. You can hear the composure and nerves of steel in Flight Attendant Betty Ong’s last phone call giving critical information during the final 8 minutes of Flight 11. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-Tr0u35Tek)

When I see the wings today, I think about those that lost their lives in the attack of 9/11 and how against all odds those wings made it through the fire as a tribute to all of the flight attendant's who wore them and lost their life that day.I didn't become a flight attendant to get the wings but they have become a symbol of something great to me. In fact, being a flight attendant was not even on my radar two years ago and I never had aspirations to fly the sometimes unfriendly skies. No, I liked being in the business world. If I had my choice, when thinking about going back into the work force, I would return to the banking industry, sit behind my desk, do sales calls, crunch numbers and be kind to my customers. I was good at it, I had experience and it came naturally to me… but God… had other ideas.

I flew on American Airlines on my first leg of a trip in May 2013 to Europe. The flight attendants on American were…how do i say this nicely…efficient but extremely fussy that day… I didn’t get one smile but mainly scowls. I remember thinking on my American flight, “I think I could be a positive influence on the atmosphere of a plane.” If you have Jesus, you are an atmosphere CHANGER. My job at AA was so clearly a divine thing that became more evident as I followed His direction. He opened every door and I walked through it with only a tiny bit of heel dragging.

When God tries to tell me something, it’s like a record stuck on repeat. Ipod’s don’t get stuck so, dear God, most of you probably don’t even know what I’m talking about. dating myself here.. but anyway the thought of being a flight attendant wouldn't go away. When I returned from my trip to Europe, I checked online to find out that American Airlines hadn’t done any real hiring for flight attendants since 9/11/2001-THIRTEEN YEARS but they had ended their hiring freeze and were taking applications. I stood up from my computer and said out loud, “God, do you really want me to do this?” I made myself a drink (non-alcoholic for your judgers ;) I then looked at the glass in my hand and noticed for the first time the engraving on the glass. Prior to that these were just our "Sucky Cowboy's never win" Super Bowl glasses but now they were speaking to me.

“Sh!#! You do.” I then started looking online and reasoning with God. Why American Airlines? Being a flight attendant does NOT pay well when you first start out. Sure there are some kick butt benefits like flying all over the world for minimal cost and great insurance but you don’t get paid for the 8-1/2 week training, you work about 120 hours and you only get paid for 80 hrs of flight time, FA's are required to pay for your own itchy polyester-wool blend "attractive" uniform WHICH IS EXPENSIVE, FA's can expect to work most weekends and every holiday for the first 5 years, etc. I bargained with God about working for Southwest... They pay more and they seem happy when I’ve flown on them. Is this a “me getting a job” thing cuz I was good at banking, God? He kept reasserting that the ONLY option was American Airlines. He was doing something there. He wanted me there specifically. Only 1-2% of the 110,000 applications were hired and I “happened” to be one of them. I was not willing to move but one of my interviewees said I could commute. I mean step after step, hurdle after hurdle, I took them and the doors flew open. Not to say it was an easy process. It stretched me beyond belief during the training and I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to quit. My classmates and I bonded during the bootcamp type training. It felt like we had been through a war together but I finally graduated along with the rest of my beloved classmates from AA Class 14-13 on May 29, 2014. That day, I walked the stage and got my very own shiny new wings while my family watched on.

I learned very quickly that flight attendants are ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I’m in awe of my sisters and brothers when we fly. The camaraderie, the team work, the lack of whining and the confidence they carry all with a get ‘er done attitude. We work WITH each other like a family to serve our passengers with a few pats on the back (see the sweet picture a little guy colored for our crew). Mr. Clean's got nothing on a fastidious flight attendant when it comes to clean up work. Jesus was willing to wash other’s feet but I’ve seen flight attendants clean up oozing boils that burst because of the pressurization of the plane (Polly far left in pic below actually did all the "boil" dirty work). I think Jesus might have said, “Sorry guys, I’m out on this one.” :) JK

I believe September 11th is a major reason God sent me to American Airlines. I realized it one day during the process of training. Our awesome instructors led us to a tiny little garden nestled right in the middle of our training building. Within American Airlines Flight Academy sits a peaceful spot known as the Memorial Gardens. In the gardens stand twenty three trees. Each tree is dedicated in honor to a specific crew member who lost their life on 9/11. The sacred reverence was evident as our class toured the gardens, we whispered, touched the plaques delicately, and some cried at the memory of the loss of life from AA Flight 11 and Flight 77.

There were so many "AHA" moments during training. We were all asked on the first day of training for Class 14-13 why we wanted to be flight attendants. Most mentioned their love of travel. You could have heard a pin trop as my fellow classmate, Elizabeth Flagg, answered this "ice breaker" question with something so deep and touching. Her grandfather and grandmother were on AA Flight 77 on September 11, 2001. The same flight where the wings were found in the rubble. Her grandpa was a retired American Airlines Captain and her father was a pilot as well. Flying was definitely in her blood but she had to conquer her fear of flying after the attack of 9/11 that took her grandparents. She was still a little girl and panicked as her family flew the first time after her grandparent’s death. The kindness shown by a flight attendant gave her great peace and comfort as he reassured her on that flight. She did not shrink back because of her fear. She overcame it with the help of a friendly flight attendant who cared. Elizabeth cried too as she saw that the garden had a plaque dedicated to her grandfather. She had never visited there before that day and it was a sweet moment to witness.

There is no way to make sense of the pain and trauma of that day. I'm focusing on American Airlines Flight Attendant's but so many were lost that day and I grieve and pray for the families who only have memories to hold of their loved ones. God says His beauty comes from ashes and that's exactly where those Flight Attendant's wings were found. He shows and shines His glory in dark places and 9/11 was a very dark day. That day continues to have it’s shadowy effects year after year as we grieve what was lost. The enemy took out some Warriors of the Sky that day but I believe they live on like those trees planted for them in the memorial garden...Their lives were like seeds planted in the ground that grew into a strong tree that will bear much fruit. The loss for all of us was too great but the future is bright and fruitful thanks to those that have gone before us. The fruit is found in the flight attendants that commit to serving you through thick and thin, death and life. Say a prayer for the crews who gave their life and their families and for American Airlines as well. Terror seems to lurk everywhere these days. We are flying on a wing and your prayers.

John 12:24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

The information below was found at the links listed:

http://www.911familiesforamerica.org/911-flight-crew-memorial/flight-crew-american-airlines-flight-11/