A 9/11 Experience: My Connection to Flight 93

A 9/11 Experience: My Connection to Flight 93

by D.O.C.

I have a personal connection to the September 11th attacks in 2001, particularly Flight 93. I am one of the few Americans to encounter the terrorists, then participate in the conflict they started. I did not understand that until years later. It began August 2000.

I had just graduated high school and was working a job at Publix Supermarket in Miramar. Towards the end of the year, I had left that job in search of a fitness job, which was my new passion. I applied to many local gyms including Club Fit (defunct) and L.A. Fitness in Pembroke Pines. I finally settled on a gym called US1 Fitness, which at the time was located in Dania Beach.

Ziad Jarrah

The terrorist I encountered as a teenager fresh out of high school was Ziad Jarrah, the lead hijacker who took the wheel of Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania on 9/11/01. Very polite person. I remember him asking me two questions. The first, how to use a particular machine. The second struck me as a bit odd but didn't think much about it after that split second. He wanted to know if I knew how to fight, and that he wanted to learn how to defend himself. I was not certified to train people at the time so I referred him to the gym manager, Bert Rodriguez. You can read the story on CNN here.

I remember when I found out about the 9/11 attacks late 2001. I was so rattled to learn that Ziad was a hijacker that I quit the gym and joined L.A. Fitness for my first personal trainer job in January 2002. It was there where I met my current business partner, Sheldon Gassett.

CeeCee Lyles

Years later, a few years after I established Ony-X Fitness Therapy, a new client reached out to me for training, and who happened to be the brother of CeeCee Lyles. Lyles was the flight attendant on Flight 93 that left the infamous "I Love You" voicemail to her husband. You can listen to her final message here.

Jason Dahl

Jason Dahl was the Captain of Flight 93 who was executed prior to the plane crashing. He was the replacement to my current client, who was sick that day and could not command Flight 93. You can here Dahl struggling with the hijackers here.

Mohamad Atta

Although I never encountered him, Mohamad Atta, the ringleader of 9/11, lived just one block from where our fitness gym is today. Apparently all 19 hijackers lived in South Florida until just a few days or weeks prior to 9/11/01.

My Decision to Serve

Ultimately, I decided to serve, joining the 124th Infantry Regiment. Later, I joined a MEDLOG unit. Many of the friends I knew growing up were already killed in action (KIA).

My duty stations involved some of the most dangerous places in Iraq, including Taji, Baghdad and Erbil. I was a participant in a few battles, including the Siege of Taji, and a battle that history knows as Operation Martyr Soleimani towards the end of my Army career.

Honoring my Friends