Q: In reading all of the coverage of the 10th anniversary of 9/11, I wondered, were any tourists and children killed when the towers fell. It was such a popular tourist attraction, it is hard to believe none were present.
—Anne Hooks, Newnan
A: According to published lists, there were three children – ages 2, 3 and 4 – on United Flight 175, which hit the South Tower. The youngest was 2-year-old Christine Lee Hanson, who was on her first trip to Disneyland with her parents. The youngest person to die on the ground was 18-year-old Richard Allen Pearlman, who was a messenger for a law firm on an errand at One Police Plaza, which was near the towers. Pearlman also was a volunteer medic with the Forest Hills Ambulance Corps, according to The Washington Post, so he rushed to the scene to help, and died when the buildings collapsed. Only one tourist died, according to USA Today, mainly because the observation deck wasn't scheduled to open until 9:30 a.m. and the TKTS booth, which sold discount tickets to Broadway shows, and most of the underground stores, also hadn't opened. The paper did not provide a name. There were five children – ages 3 to 11 – on American Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon.
Lori Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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