In her own intelligent, clear and polite way, Beverly held the administration's feet to the fire ...
By DIANE SMITH
The Cool Justice Report
www.cooljustice.blogspot.com
Feb. 15, 2009
EDITOR'S NOTE: This column is available for reprint courtesy of The Cool Justice Report, http://cooljustice.blogspot.com
Fifty lives were lost on a plane bound for Buffalo Thursday night. Beverly Eckert was headed to her hometown to celebrate what would have been the 58th birthday of her husband Sean Rooney, who died on 9/11, in the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers.
I know from my own experience and from years of reporting, how deep the urge is to make something meaningful out of an untimely death. Beverly did that after she lost her husband, the man she had loved for more than 30 years.
I interviewed Beverly numerous times on WTIC Newstalk 1080. She was a Stamford resident, and although she did not seek the spotlight, she was willing to come on the air to discuss the aftermath of 9/11. Beverly talked about how our government let us down -- in everything from building code failures that prevented her husband from escaping the tower after the airplanes hit to intelligence failures that allowed two men to drive those planes into the WTC.
In her own intelligent, clear and polite way, Beverly held the administration's feet to the fire, not demanding answers, but insisting on them. She and other family members who lost their loved ones that day fought for an investigation, and through the 9/11 Commission they pursued the truth, even when the administration tried to stonewall, and dodge. Beverly’s unswerving dedication to preserving her husband’s memory, and to making sure the government was held accountable, helped bring some clarity to the deadliest attack on our nation of our era. Her dedication to finding answers may avoid another tragedy of such proportions What a difference Beverly Eckert made!
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An Emmy award winning TV journalist, Diane produces programs for Connecticut Public TV, based on her very popular series "Positively Connecticut." "Positively Connecticut" searches out the inspiring, warm, funny, and sometimes downright strange stories that give Connecticut its character. Her four books based on the series have been best sellers for The Globe Pequot Press. Diane is president of Diane Smith Media, a company providing services to businesses, non-profits and schools. For nine years Diane was co-host of the top rated Morning Show on WTIC-AM News Talk 1080 with Ray Dunaway.
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