From the archive: remembering Minnesotan Tom Burnett, 23 years after the 9/11 attacks
Tom Burnett and Deena Burnett Bailey pose for a photo with their two children.
Courtesy of Deena Burnett Bailey
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On Sept. 11, 2001, Tom Burnett was aboard a hijacked airliner when it crashed in rural Pennsylvania. Tom grew up in Bloomington. He managed to call his wife Deena four times from his cell phone before the plane went down.
Just two months after the terrorist attack, Deena Burnett sat down with MPR News deputy managing editor Lorna Benson. We listen back to their conversation as people gather across the state to remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost on 9/11.
Buck Hill is hosting a remembrance concert. In St. Cloud, the Army ROTC Fighting Saints Battalion is organizing a memorial stair climb. And this weekend Austin, Minn., will hold a 9/11 heroes run.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
NINA MOINI: Many Minnesotans remember the story of Tom Burnett. On September 11, 2001, he was aboard the hijacked airliner when it crashed in rural Pennsylvania. Tom grew up in Bloomington. He managed to call his wife, Deena, four times from his cell phone before the plane went down.
Just two months after the terrorist attack, Deena sat down with MPR News Deputy Managing Editor Lorna Benson. Deena was making breakfast when she got the first phone call from her husband.
DEENA BURNETT: The first thing I remember is just having sheer terror flushed through my body, and being nervous and then thinking, OK, I need to think straight. I need to help my husband. And I was able to calm myself down and think about who I should call for a hijacking. As it turned out, I called 911, hoping that they would at least be able to tell me who else I needed to contact, and they patched me to the FBI.
LORNA BENSON: What advice did you give your husband when you were on the phone with him?
DEENA BURNETT: Well, during the first three calls, I didn't give him any advice. I only listened and tried to answer any questions that he had for me. During the fourth phone call, after he told me that they were going to do something, I immediately responded for him to sit down, not draw attention to himself and hope that he would be complacent. As a flight attendant, that was my training.
And I just immediately went back to the training that I had received. And when I told him to sit down, he said no. He said, no, we're going to do something. If they're going to fly this plane into the ground, we're going to have to do something.
LORNA BENSON: In piecing the story together, based on stories of other family members who also talked with their loved ones on the plane, what do you think they did?
DEENA BURNETT: I think that they realized that the planes were being used as missiles. I believe that they all agreed to storm the cockpit. I think that my husband probably asked for volunteers to go with him. I think that he was certainly able to motivate the people around him to support his ideas of what needed to be done. And I have no doubt that they went into the cockpit and managed to overtake the hijackers.
I don't think that they were able to control the airplane. I think that the altitude was probably too low at the time they got into the cockpit and got the hijackers out of their seats. And I think that they were just unable to get control of the aircraft once they were in the cockpit.
LORNA BENSON: How did you tell your three children about the crash?
DEENA BURNETT: I sat them down on the bed and told them-- reminded them of the conversation I'd had with their father earlier that day. And I said, do you remember I told you that dad was having a little problem on the airplane? And they said yes. I said, well, as it turned out, there were some men who were bad on the airplane, and those bad people caused the airplane to crash. And when it did, everyone on board died.
And, of course, when I said that, they immediately asked if their dad had died. And I said yes. And they wanted to know if he was in heaven. And I explained yes, that he was. And they wanted to know if he was an angel. One of them asked if she could call him on his cell phone to talk to him, and I explained that there were no cell phones in heaven. One asked if she could write a letter and have the postman deliver it.
And another one asked, why does dad want to be with Jesus instead of us? There were many questions. And I hope that I was able to answer them in a way that provided some kind of understanding that although it was not their dad's choice, it was a choice that we can and we'll learn to live with.
LORNA BENSON: What have you learned from this experience?
DEENA BURNETT: I have certainly learned that life is precious, and that every day we need to be thankful for the blessings that we receive. I've learned that nothing is guaranteed. I hope that with a sacrifice that our family has made, that many families have had to make, that we can turn this into a situation in which we are able to live a better life and a life that is certainly worthy of those who have died. And know and appreciate the life that we've been given.
LORNA BENSON: Is there something specific you would like Americans to do?
DEENA BURNETT: Well, I think so much about the funds and the foundations that have been set up and people reaching out to families financially. And I think it's wonderful. My family specifically has just experienced unprecedented generosity.
I mean, we've been given scholarship funds for my children's college by ShopNBC. We've been given flags and family heirlooms. And I've received 3,000 cards and letters from American citizens, patriots, people who just want to reach out and say thank you, or we care and are concerned and we are praying for you.
And I think about all of the people who are absolutely exhibiting the strength and the character of my husband and his fellow passengers on Flight 93. And I don't want that to be lost. I don't want the unification that we've experienced to be forgotten. I hope that the tragedy of September 11 will continue to bring out the best in people. That we'll be able to remember and honor and reach out to others in the community.
LORNA BENSON: Will you continue to take this message around the country?
DEENA BURNETT: I would like to. I have been asked to make a few appearances. And in doing so, I've been able to speak about my thoughts and wishes for our moving forward. And I would like to think that I would be able to continue to encourage and hopefully inspire our nation to rise to its feet. And in the spirit of my husband and passengers on Flight 93 to get up and do something positive.
LORNA BENSON: What do you think Tom would think of this new role in your life?
DEENA BURNETT: I think the role that I've been cast in is something that I have not been prepared to play, but I'm certainly willing, and I think that my husband would be very proud. I think that my role has certainly been inspired by him in the nine years that we had together and the many conversations of patriotism, and knowing that he always encouraged everyone around him to do what was right. I think he would be very pleased.
NINA MOINI: Wow. So courageous. Our thanks to Deena for sharing that with us then and for being able to replay that today. That was our Lorna Benson talking to Deena Burnett, the widow of Tom Burnett, who died on 9/11. There are several remembrances, events being held across the state today to remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost.
As I mentioned earlier in the show, Buck Hill is having a remembrance concert in Burnsville. In St. Cloud, there will be a Memorial Stair Climb. And even this weekend, more events on 9/11 heroes run happening in Austin, Minnesota.
Just two months after the terrorist attack, Deena sat down with MPR News Deputy Managing Editor Lorna Benson. Deena was making breakfast when she got the first phone call from her husband.
DEENA BURNETT: The first thing I remember is just having sheer terror flushed through my body, and being nervous and then thinking, OK, I need to think straight. I need to help my husband. And I was able to calm myself down and think about who I should call for a hijacking. As it turned out, I called 911, hoping that they would at least be able to tell me who else I needed to contact, and they patched me to the FBI.
LORNA BENSON: What advice did you give your husband when you were on the phone with him?
DEENA BURNETT: Well, during the first three calls, I didn't give him any advice. I only listened and tried to answer any questions that he had for me. During the fourth phone call, after he told me that they were going to do something, I immediately responded for him to sit down, not draw attention to himself and hope that he would be complacent. As a flight attendant, that was my training.
And I just immediately went back to the training that I had received. And when I told him to sit down, he said no. He said, no, we're going to do something. If they're going to fly this plane into the ground, we're going to have to do something.
LORNA BENSON: In piecing the story together, based on stories of other family members who also talked with their loved ones on the plane, what do you think they did?
DEENA BURNETT: I think that they realized that the planes were being used as missiles. I believe that they all agreed to storm the cockpit. I think that my husband probably asked for volunteers to go with him. I think that he was certainly able to motivate the people around him to support his ideas of what needed to be done. And I have no doubt that they went into the cockpit and managed to overtake the hijackers.
I don't think that they were able to control the airplane. I think that the altitude was probably too low at the time they got into the cockpit and got the hijackers out of their seats. And I think that they were just unable to get control of the aircraft once they were in the cockpit.
LORNA BENSON: How did you tell your three children about the crash?
DEENA BURNETT: I sat them down on the bed and told them-- reminded them of the conversation I'd had with their father earlier that day. And I said, do you remember I told you that dad was having a little problem on the airplane? And they said yes. I said, well, as it turned out, there were some men who were bad on the airplane, and those bad people caused the airplane to crash. And when it did, everyone on board died.
And, of course, when I said that, they immediately asked if their dad had died. And I said yes. And they wanted to know if he was in heaven. And I explained yes, that he was. And they wanted to know if he was an angel. One of them asked if she could call him on his cell phone to talk to him, and I explained that there were no cell phones in heaven. One asked if she could write a letter and have the postman deliver it.
And another one asked, why does dad want to be with Jesus instead of us? There were many questions. And I hope that I was able to answer them in a way that provided some kind of understanding that although it was not their dad's choice, it was a choice that we can and we'll learn to live with.
LORNA BENSON: What have you learned from this experience?
DEENA BURNETT: I have certainly learned that life is precious, and that every day we need to be thankful for the blessings that we receive. I've learned that nothing is guaranteed. I hope that with a sacrifice that our family has made, that many families have had to make, that we can turn this into a situation in which we are able to live a better life and a life that is certainly worthy of those who have died. And know and appreciate the life that we've been given.
LORNA BENSON: Is there something specific you would like Americans to do?
DEENA BURNETT: Well, I think so much about the funds and the foundations that have been set up and people reaching out to families financially. And I think it's wonderful. My family specifically has just experienced unprecedented generosity.
I mean, we've been given scholarship funds for my children's college by ShopNBC. We've been given flags and family heirlooms. And I've received 3,000 cards and letters from American citizens, patriots, people who just want to reach out and say thank you, or we care and are concerned and we are praying for you.
And I think about all of the people who are absolutely exhibiting the strength and the character of my husband and his fellow passengers on Flight 93. And I don't want that to be lost. I don't want the unification that we've experienced to be forgotten. I hope that the tragedy of September 11 will continue to bring out the best in people. That we'll be able to remember and honor and reach out to others in the community.
LORNA BENSON: Will you continue to take this message around the country?
DEENA BURNETT: I would like to. I have been asked to make a few appearances. And in doing so, I've been able to speak about my thoughts and wishes for our moving forward. And I would like to think that I would be able to continue to encourage and hopefully inspire our nation to rise to its feet. And in the spirit of my husband and passengers on Flight 93 to get up and do something positive.
LORNA BENSON: What do you think Tom would think of this new role in your life?
DEENA BURNETT: I think the role that I've been cast in is something that I have not been prepared to play, but I'm certainly willing, and I think that my husband would be very proud. I think that my role has certainly been inspired by him in the nine years that we had together and the many conversations of patriotism, and knowing that he always encouraged everyone around him to do what was right. I think he would be very pleased.
NINA MOINI: Wow. So courageous. Our thanks to Deena for sharing that with us then and for being able to replay that today. That was our Lorna Benson talking to Deena Burnett, the widow of Tom Burnett, who died on 9/11. There are several remembrances, events being held across the state today to remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost.
As I mentioned earlier in the show, Buck Hill is having a remembrance concert in Burnsville. In St. Cloud, there will be a Memorial Stair Climb. And even this weekend, more events on 9/11 heroes run happening in Austin, Minnesota.
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