9/11 Airline Rides Across America Stops In Memphis
Posted by Melissa Moon
Memphis - Some airline employees are pedaling their way across America to remember fellow crew members killed on 9/11. Tuesday, they made a stop in Memphis. The pilots and flight attendants taking part in the ride are also trying to raise dollars for three 9/11 memorials.
"We need money to get the job done. That's what we are trying to do. To get the job done," said Thomas Heidenberger, a U.S. Air pilot.
About six cyclist, most airline pilots, are taking part in the nearly 4,000 mile ride, but are being joined by other bicyclists on portions of the trip. Airline Ride Across America began on April 2nd in Los Angeles. It will end on May 9th at the Pentagon in Washington D.C.
The cyclist are doing it in 33 days to remember 33 fellow crew members killed in the terrorist attacks. One crew member is being remembered each day and Wednesday, as they left Memphis, Kathryn Laborie was on the minds of riders. Laborie was a flight attendant on United Flight 175, the second plane to crash into the World Trade Center.
"In many ways they were the leaders in the sky," said Heidenberger.
Thomas Heidenberger, is riding for his wife. Michele Heidenberger was flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 77 when it crashed into the Pentagon.
"It's emotional at times, It's painful. There is suffering, but there is not nearly the suffering than my wife went through, Sherri's husband went through or 3,000 other families and victims went through.
Sherry Burlingame, an American Airlines flight attendant, is following the cyclists in a RV. Her husband was a pilot also on board flight 77. Burlingame says the journey so far has been painful at times, but it's also providing healing. And she's hoping the ride will raise more awareness about the memorials that still need to be built at each of the crash sites.
"We need somewhere where we can go to see where it happened where they died," said Burlingame.
"It's not easy, but it's well worth it. At the end of the day I now my children will have a place to remember their mother other than the cemetery and I want the other families to have this. I want the American public to have this," said Heidenberger.
Airline Ride Across America has already raised $60,000. The goal is $300,000. So far ground has only been broken on the World Trade Center Memorial. If you would like to help with the fund raising or follow the trip just follow the link on this page.
http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=4790277
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