BERKELEY – To observe the anniversary of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, which occurred 17 years ago on Tuesday, is to remember the loss of thousands of lives, including that of Mark Bingham, the former California rugby player and 1993 University graduate whose actions aboard United Flight 93 are believed to have prevented the plane from being used as a weapon of mass destruction in the nation's capital.
 
The recent death of Sen. John McCain, who passed on Aug. 25, is a somber reminder of the kind words the Senator offered at a memorial service for Bingham shortly after the 2001 attacks.
 
"I may very well owe my life to Mark," said the Naval Aviator, former prisoner of war, Congressman, Senator and Presidential candidate. McCain's eulogy for Bingham continued:
 
"I never knew Mark Bingham. But I wish I had. I know he was a good son and friend, a good rugby player, a good American and an extraordinary human being. He supported me, and his support now ranks among the greatest honors of my life. I wish I had known before September 11 just how great an honor his trust in me was. I wish I could have thanked him for it more profusely than time and circumstances allowed. But I know it now. And I thank him with the only means I possess, by being as good an American as he was."
 
Evidence suggests that instead of allowing the Boeing 757 to reach its intended target, Mark joined several fellow passengers to storm the cockpit and thwart their hijackers. The flight, which met its end in Shanksville, Pa., is remembered at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Stoyston, Pa., and in New York City, where the names of passengers and crew are etched at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. A charcoal impression of Mark's etched name is framed in the Doc Hudson Fieldhouse on campus at Cal.
 
"It is a solemn day for our country and a sad day for all of us who knew Mark," said head coach Jack Clark. "We will be forever proud of the courage he displayed and the sacrifice he made."
 
Bingham was honored posthumously at the 2002 ESPYs with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, given to an individual whose bravery "transcends sports …possessing strength in the face of adversity, courage in the face of peril and the willingness to stand up for their beliefs no matter what the cost."
 
Mark also continues to be honored annually by the University through the California Alumni Association, which recognizes a young alumnus or alumna with the Mark Bingham Award for Excellence in Achievement at its Charter Gala each spring.
 
Bingham received his degree from Cal in Social Sciences with an emphasis in International Relations and went on to become CEO of the Bingham Group, a public relations firm serving the high-tech industry. His mother, Alice Hoagland, has said of her son's alma mater, "Mark loved Cal. 'Go Bears' was his mantra. Mark wore the blue and gold rugby jersey proudly and played his heart out for his teammates."
 
McCain's final words in his eulogy to Bingham seem especially relevant today in the wake of the Senator's recent passing:
 
"To all of you who loved Mark, and were loved by him, he will never be so far from you that you cannot feel his love. As our faith informs us, you will see him again … Take care of each other until then, as he would want you to."