Vanessa Minter reunites with Betty Ong's family 25 years after historic hijack call
Reservation agent Vanessa Minter, who took the last call from flight attendant Betty Ong during the hijacked flight, met Ong's brother and mother for the first time a quarter-century later.
While working as an American Airlines reservations agent in North Carolina, Vanessa Minter answered a call from flight attendant Betty Ong, who was seated in the back galley of a hijacked American Airlines flight. Ong’s calm description of the situation prompted the FAA to close the nation’s airspace, and her last words to Minter were a request for prayers before the plane struck the North Tower. Three weeks after the attacks, Minter wrote a letter to Ong’s family expressing admiration for her bravery.
Twenty-five years later, Minter traveled to California, visited Ong’s niche at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, and was welcomed by brother Harry, who showed her keepsakes including an ID tag and a presidential letter. She also met Ong’s 99-year-old mother, Gum, who embraced her as part of the family.
Why it matters
The reunion highlights the lasting personal impact of the 9/11 tragedy and honors the courage of ordinary heroes.
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