When Todd Beamer phoned Verizon Gte operator at 9:43 his call was initially answered by Phyllis Johnson, a customer service representative. Less than ten minutes later Johnson passes the phone over to Lisa Jefferson, her supervisor, who will stay on the line for the remainder of the call.
On September 11, Lisa Jefferson gave an interview to the FBI where she stated that towards the end of the call she "heard another passenger give the go-ahead for their move". Later that same day she also prepared a letter, a synopsis, with her recollections concerning the call. In it she wrote once again that before the end of the call "someone said let's roll".
This synopsis was provided to Lisa Beamer, Todd's wife, before her own communication with Jefferson which took place on September 15. During this exchange, Lisa Jefferson is put in the extremely awkward and uncomfortable position of having to lift an emotional and grieving widow out of mer misery: present the news in as positive a light as possible, keep the converstaion flowing avoiding awkward silences, make her feel proud driving home the fact that her husband died a hero trying to protect his country and fellow countrymen etc etc etc. And it's in this context and under those conditions that "another person gave the go-ahead" and "someone said let's roll" suddenly becomes "he (Todd Beamer) said you ready? we're gonna roll". That was all Lisa Beamer needed to take "Let's roll" and run away with it, and next thing you know, a week later, she gives an interview to the FBI and attributes the statement to her husband.
With no one wanting to go against the wishes of a grieving widow and with the original owner no longer there to reclaim it, "Let's roll" is credited to Todd Beamer, when more likely than not it belonged to someone else.
Below are the relevant excerpts from the official documents detailing the statement's journey in chronological order:
Lisa Jefferson FBI Interview September 11, 2001
(Source: Interviews Sept 2001 08 of 08)
Nick Leonard reads synopsis prepared by Lisa Jefferson re Todd Beamer call September 14, 2001 (Transcribed Sept.15)
(Source: 188886478-T7-B12-Flight-93-Calls-Tod-Beamer-Fdr-9-15-01-FBI-302-Transcript-UAL-SAC-Nick-Leonard-Re-Jefferson-Beamer-Call-419)
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