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American Morning

September 11 Widow Carries Olympic Torch To President

Aired December 27, 2001 - 08:21   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Elizabeth Howell lost her husband when an airliner crashed into the Pentagon on September 11. Earlier this week at a White House ceremony honoring the victims of 9/11 and the Olympic spirit, Howell carried the Olympic torch and passed it along to President Bush. Afterwards, she spoke with CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH HOWELL, WIDOW OF PENTAGON VICTIM: This experience was beyond description. It is a combination of so many things. Probably if I had to sum it up into three feelings, I would say pride for my husband and the ideals that he represented and for the fallen heroes of September 11, probably humility for being asked to carry the flame and in such a remarkable place, and also just sheer excitement for the opportunity to do something like this.

The president is one of the most congenial men. He put his arm around me. He said "I am so sorry for your loss." Then, we were standing here, and he leaned over and he said, "I am so cold." I told him a little bit about Brady just shortly, and he said, "I know, I know how great he was."

Brady was all-American by every standard of the word. He made me proud. Brady was working as a Navy civilian in the Pentagon in the Naval Command Center. And he was a presidential management intern. He was working as an intelligence officer in the Command Center and had just received his top-secret clearance a couple of weeks prior, and that was one of his lifelong goals.

Mostly, I am sustained by the prayers that have been offered in my behalf, and also the hope -- there is hope that there will be a better and brighter day, and that has been manifest through the aftermath of September 11 -- how countries have come together, how people here in our nation have come to one another's aid. And things are getting better, and it's this knowledge that is keeping me going.

I felt Brady's presence with me before I started the race, and I knew he was looking out for me, and I knew he was proud. He was proud, because he was such an outstanding man. He was very proud of what was going on today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Strong words, strong emotions.

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