Todd Beamer's last recorded words were ''Let's roll'' before charging in unarmed into the cockpit with other passengers, all of who were aware of certain death in their actions. The World Trade Center had already been hit while Flight 93 was still far from its destination. Some of the passengers who were able to phone people were informed of the suicide attack on the World Trade Center and its destruction. The passengers took a conscious decision to risk their lives but stop the hijackers from hurting America. As the result of their heroism, the hijacked Flight 93 crash-landed about 20 minute's flight distance from Washington killing all passengers and hijackers onboard.
Lisa Beamer, bereft of her husband, pledged not to break down, but fight back. In the same year, she established the Todd M. Beamer foundation to help children who had suffered from trauma. In 2003, she co-authored with Ken Abraham, a book about Todd Beamer, and her attempts to overcome grief. The book Let's Roll! Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage was well-received by the public. Lisa Beamer donated royalties from the book to the Todd M. Beamer Foundation (renamed Heroic Choices).
Lisa Beamer was subject to harassment and accusations of trying to profit from her husband's death when she applied for a trademark for Todd Beamer's last words ''Let's Roll,'' which by that time had become a catchphrase in US. Todd M. Beamer Foundation has allowed use of the phrase to Wal-Mart, the Florida State football team and others.
Lisa Beamer has also come under criticism for the financial records of Todd M. Beamer Foundation not being able to meet the Better Business Bureau's Standards for Charity Accountability, and making 12% less expenses than what the BBB expects such foundations to make.
On hindsight, any person with common sense can see that Lisa Beamer was neither experienced in the business of running charities nor of the hard world where charity means business. She was just another American homemaker shocked to face a life with three children and an untimely sacrifice of her husband's life. She did not break down but fought back. She wrote to honor her husband's memory. She built a trust to honor her husband's memory. And she did all this without previous experience in the fields. As Lisa Beamer did, any woman may be expected to trademark the last words of her husband, if it became a catchphrase last uttered by a hero. Such a step was necessary also to prevent misuse and the trademark authorities who granted Lisa Beamer the rights are the best judge of that.
Lisa Beamer is rumored to have remarried nine years after the demise of Todd, deciding to go on with her life. The only thing that can be said of Lisa Beamer is that she is a fine American woman, and an example for others.
