I need to pay attention to my Alumni Newsletter

Beverly Eckert who was listed as one of the passengers of Flight 3407 was a graduate of Sacred Heart Academy and Buffalo State college.

In our Winter Edition of our alumni paper, she was given the award of Distinguished Alumnae Christus Super Omnia Award at the annual “Spirit of SHA” Awards Dinner, formerly the SHA Gala dinner.

Link to the Cordecho

Beverly Eckert ‘69

Distinguished Alumnae Christus Super Omnia Award

After graduating from Sacred Heart Academy and Buffalo State College, Beverly pursued a rewarding career in insurance, working in Boston and New York City. She became a vice president at General Re, a Fortune 500/Berkshire Hathaway Company headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. But, it was the events that unfolded on September 11, 2001 that forever changed her life, when her husband, Sean Rooney was killed while working in the World Trade Center.

Inspired by her husband’s unflinching courage in the face of his impending death, Beverly rejected the conventional victim’s role, and instead co founded an advocacy group called “Voices of September 11th”, helping to represent the interests of 9/11 families on a variety of contentious issues. Most notably, she lobbied in Washington for a full investigation into the terrorists attacks. She helped orchestrate country-wide support for a 9/11 Commission, participating in press conferences, testifying on Capitol Hill and organizing rallies, protests, and vigils in Washington and New York. She then helped Congress pass legislation implementing 9/11 Commission recommendations that were critically needed to prevent future attacks.

Beverly’s efforts and those of her colleagues have been acknowledged on the floor of both the House and Senate, and in 2007, she and five other 9/11 family leaders received special recognition at an awards ceremony at The Center for National Policy in Washington, DC. She has been interviewed on national TV and radio, and the story of her life with Sean and her work as an activist after 9/11 was featured in an “NBC Dateline” special with Tom Brokaw. Beverly believes her decision to help others and make the country safer, rather than focus on her personal loss has been beneficial to the slow, but steady process of healing.

Currently on SHA’s page there is a tribute to her.