Sendoff ‘23
Newark-Liberty - Shanksville
United Flight 93
Paulie’s Push 3: Flight 93 - Newark-Liberty International Airport to the Flight 93 National Memorial. Paulie’s 300-mile journey from EWR to Shanksville began at Newark-Liberty International Airport, where a ceremony had been set up by officials from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. With the newest recruiting class of the Port Authority Police in formation and looking on, members of the airport staff, the public, and the media were invited to hear remarks from officials and from Paulie himself. That was followed by an escort through the airport, which included a water cannon salute - see photos above taken from the roof of the iconic Building One - and plenty of photo ops in the vicinity of United Airlines jets as they landed, taxi’d, and took off. The morning concluded with Paulie meeting with operations staff who’d gathered to see him off at the tarmac exit. It was a special moment for Paulie, capping off a special way to start off what will be his longest Push. The photo of Paulie standing underneath a departing United jet would appear in media around the world.
Sendoff ‘22
Washington Dulles- Pentagon
American Flight 77
Paulie’s Push II: The Pentagon. Washington-Dulles International Airport to the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial. Paulie’s Push to the Pentagon began just 23 miles away at Washington-Dulles International Airport, where American Flight 77 took off the morning of September 11, 2001. Paulie was invited to speak to members of the ground crew in the American Airlines crew lounge, and was joined by airline and airport employees, including some who were working on 9/11. It was an emotional start to what would be an emotional journey, and Paulie appreciated being able to speak to - and, especially, with - airline employees, as he was one himself for so many years. Following this, Paulie walked across the Dulles Airport tarmac, where Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority fire crews signaled the official start of the journey with a water cannon salute. The Authority had coordinated the temporary closure of a runway to allow for the Push to officially start from it, making this a very special sendoff indeed.
Sendoff ‘21
Boston-Logan- Ground Zero
United Flight 175
Paulie’s Push to Ground Zero. Paulie’s initial Push was held in conjunction with the twentieth anniversary of September 11.
The sendoff began with a Ceremony of Remembrance at the New England Ballroom at the Hilton Boston Logan Airport Hotel. Music included a prelude by the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as renditions of the national anthem and Amazing Grace sung by Boston Bruins anthem singer Todd Angilly. Father Richard Uftring offered a service of remembrance, and a special message of support was shared by former Boston mayor and then-U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. First responder remarks were offered by Boston Fire Commissioner Jack Dempsey and Boston Fire Local 718 president John Soares, before ‘American United’ a poem by American Airlines employee Suzanne Moses was read by United Airlines flight attendant Sue Cook. A Roll Call of Names was held, with Ralph Bagarella, former president of the Association of Flight Attendants United Airlines Council 27 Boston reading for United Flights 175 and 93, and Julia Carrigan, former president of American Airlines Association of Professional Flight Attendants Boston reading for American Flights 11 and 77. Bob Prada, Former United Airlines customer service representative, read the names of the customer service agents on United Flight 175. Family members spoke, as well. They included Boston Bruins Foundation’s executive director Bob Sweeney, brother-in-law of Amy Sweeney (American 11), and Aran Jarret, father of Amy Jarret (United 175). Dave McGillivray offered Paulie a special message of encouragement, and presented him with an American flag that he, himself, had been given by his mother before he embarked on his first run across America; it had been given to him for protection and safety, and he passed it along to Paulie with the same message.
After the ceremony Paulie’s Push officially began from the nearby Massachusetts Port Authority 9/11 Memorial. He was joined by nearly 50 uniformed Boston-based flight crew members, who walked with him to the waterfront, where a Boston water shuttle ferried the entire contingent, accompanied by a Boston Fire Boat offering a water cannon salute. Once the boat docked at the Marriott Harbor Long Wharf, Paulie began pushing the cart across Boston, escorted by Boston Police, to the 9/11 Memorial at the Boston Public Garden Memorial.