Widow of United Flight 93 hero gives birth to girl, names her for dad

<br>PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) _ Lisa Beamer, the widow of the man who cried, ``Let's roll!'' as passengers aboard one of the doomed Sept. 11 flights prepared to confront their hijackers, has given

Thursday, January 10th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) _ Lisa Beamer, the widow of the man who cried, ``Let's roll!'' as passengers aboard one of the doomed Sept. 11 flights prepared to confront their hijackers, has given birth to a healthy girl.

Morgan Kay Beamer was born Wednesday, said Diane Morrow, a spokeswoman for the Todd M. Beamer Foundation. Morgan was Todd Beamer's middle name.

The baby weighed 7 pounds and was 21 inches tall. The couple also has two young sons, Drew and David.

``Right now she's in a hospital room with family and friends, so the real reality of it won't set in until she's at home and having to go through the late night feedings and diaper changings by herself,'' Doug MacMillan, the foundation's executive director, said Thursday. ``It's going to be a difficult time for her, but Lisa has the grace and the strength to get through this.''

He said Beamer could go home as soon as Friday.

Todd Beamer, 32, was one of several passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93 who made phone calls to relatives or authorities, alerting them that a hijacking was taking place and saying they were making plans to fight back.

Beamer ended his conversation with a GTE operator by dropping his phone and saying, ``Let's roll!'' A short time later, the plane crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pa., killing all 44 on board.

The plane, which left Newark and was supposed to go to San Francisco, was the only hijacked plane that day that didn't take lives on the ground. Authorities believe the hijackers were steering it toward Washington.

Lisa Beamer recalled a few days later that ``Are you guys ready? Let's roll!'' was an expression her husband often used when the family was leaving for an outing.

``Some people live their whole lives, long lives, without having left anything behind,'' she said. ``My sons will be told their whole lives that their father was a hero, that he saved lives. It's a great legacy for a father to leave his children.''

She set up the Beamer Foundation to assist other children who lost parents on Flight 93; her family will not receive assistance from the fund.

The foundation's Web site asks that in lieu of baby gifts, those wanting to can make a donation to either the foundation or to a children's charity in the baby's honor.

By Thursday afternoon, the foundation was overwhelmed with messages from well-wishers, said MacMillan, who described Todd Beamer as his best friend. He said President Bush was among those who called Beamer to offer congratulations on the birth.