Closer Look: Bay Area Mother Of Flight 93 Victim Soldiers On

REDWOOD ESTATES (CBS 5) - Alice Hoagland has had ten years to think about her son Mark Bingham's death. The Los Gatos man was one of the heroic passengers aboard Flight 93 on September 11, 2001. Bingham and others died fighting the terrorists on that flight. The passengers overtook the terrorists on board the 757 bound for San Francisco and it crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. It is widely believed that the terrorists intended to fly the plane into the White House or the Capital. The tragedy of the event turned Hoagland into a staunch defender of America.

"I think it is important not to sugar coat the tragedy and the bloodletting of September 11th. Because we still see the specter of terrorism. We still have people within our borders who mean to do us harm and will at the first opportunity," said Alice Hoagland.

Bingham was one of the many passengers on board that called loved ones to say goodbye. Bingham called his mom to say that he loved her. Alice Hoagland made some courageous phone calls herself that day to her son's cell phone. She left two messages warning Bingham that he was on a plane with terrorists.

"There wasn't much good news that came out of September 11th but America has seized on the story of a handful of guys in the back of a pitching and nearly empty and doomed 757, how the assessed their situation, were able to call loved ones and say goodbye, gather information and gather weapons around them, implement things they were going to do," said Hoaglan

Inspired by what she calls her son's ultimate act of volunteerism, Hoagland and other families who lost loved ones on 9-11 have called on people at this ten year mark, to step up and do something positive in honor of those courageous passengers on Flight 93.

Hoagland wants people to go to the websites www.hoba.org and www.911day.org.

"I am so glad that 'My Good Deed' and 'Hands on Bay Area' have teamed up to promote 9-11 as a day of service and remembrance. It is a wonderful opportunity for all of America to learn how they can dedicate themselves on September 11th in remembrance of those people who gave their all on the original September 11th," said Hoagland.

On September 11th, 2011, Alice Hoagland will be in Shanksville, Pennsylvania with other families who lost loved ones on Flight 93.

"Mark Bingham has been dead nearly ten years now and I live his life and death everyday of my life so it doesn't seem like nearly a decade to me. I remember his voice. 'Mom, this is Mark Bingham. I just want to tell you that I love you.' That was his last message to us," Said Hoagland. "I just want to live my life the way that Mark Bingham would want me to live my life."

Hoagland supports other causes that she feels Bingham would have been a part of. Mark Bingham was a gay man. Hoagland proudly supports the LGBT community and its causes.

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