Madeline Amy Sweeney

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Madeline Amy Sweeney
Born 1966
Died September 11, 2001
Manhattan, New York
Other names Amy Sweeney
Occupation Flight attendant

Madeline Amy Sweeney, known as Amy Sweeney (1966 – September 11, 2001), was a flight attendant on board American Airlines Flight 11 when it was flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center as part of the September 11, 2001 attacks. She relayed information about the hijacking on board by phone to Michael Woodward, an American Airlines flight service manager on the ground. Flight 11 was the first plane to crash.

It is not known exactly where on board she was calling from. Information relayed included the seat numbers and descriptions of four of the hijackers, although the FBI later named five hijackers on board the flight. She stayed on the line until the plane crashed into the World Trade Center, reporting, "I see water. I see buildings. We are flying low. We are flying very, very low. We are flying way too low. -pause- Oh my God, we are way too low."[1][2]

She was 35 years old when she died. She had been a flight attendant for 12 years. She was survived by her husband and two children, ages 4 and 6. They lived in Acton, Massachusetts. She normally only worked weekends but had chosen to do an extra shift that day.

On February 11, 2002, she was commemorated in a series of new annual bravery awards initiated by the Massachusetts government. The annual Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery is awarded every September 11 to at least one Massachusetts resident who displayed extraordinary courage in defending or saving the lives of others.[3]

The first recipients were Ms. Sweeney and fellow flight attendant Betty Ong, who had also relayed information about the hijacking to personnel on the ground. Pilot John Ogonowski also received a posthumous award for turning a radio switch on, which allowed ground control to listen to remarks being made by the hijackers. All three were residents of Massachusetts.

Relatives of all three accepted the awards on their behalf.

[edit] Film and documentary portrayals

Amy Sweeney was played by Irene Carl in the documentary The Last Hour of Flight 11 and by Jennifer Ricci in the ABC miniseries The Path to 9/11 opposite Jean Yoon and Patricia Heaton.

[edit] Quotations

  • "In her nation's darkest hour, she responded with a selfless bravery that illustrates the very best of human nature. She was empowered by her ability to shed light where none existed." -- Massachusetts Gov. Jane Swift, presenting the award to Sweeney's children.
  • "She calmly and in a detailed fashion told us that Flight 11 had been hijacked, which was nothing short of a miracle." -- American Airlines flight services manager Michael Woodward, who took the call from Sweeney.
  • "She would have said she was just doing her job." -- Michael Sweeney, her husband, a police officer.

[edit] External links

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