A quiet moment of resolution arrived nearly a quarter of a century after tragedy struck. Jevon Castrillo, now an adult and father himself, recently received a letter his mother, CeeCee Ross Lyles, had written in March 2001 months before she died aboard United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11.
A Letter Written in Hope
Long before the world knew what that date would bring, Lyles penned a simple, heartfelt message to her son’s kindergarten teacher, Tammy Thurman. At that time, Jevon was a young student with a growing love for reading. The letter reads in part:
“Dear Ms. Thurman, Jevon read a book last night that he brought home from the library. He read it from cover to cover… We are very proud of him and will continue to work with him at home.”
It was a loving note from mother to teacher, meant to celebrate a milestone in her son’s growth. Lyles also expressed gratitude to the teacher: “Again, thank you for your dedication and courage for the job that you do.”
The Years in Between
After Lyles was lost on Flight 93, the letter remained in Thurman’s care. Over the decades, Thurman moved between different schools in Lee County, Florida, carrying the letter with her. Though the envelope faded and the surroundings changed, the message remained intact.
When Jevon, now a father to a 3-month-old child, learned the letter existed, Thurman decided it was time to finally deliver it. She passed it to reporter Jon Shainman, who, working near their hometown in Fort Pierce, Florida, made good on the promise to get it into Jevon’s hands.
A Bittersweet Reunion
When Jevon read the lines written by his mother so many years ago, he was moved to tears. “Very touching,” he said. “It seems very sweet, and it seems like something she would definitely say.”
Tammy Thurman, holding back years of her own memory, said to him, “As a mom, I know you need to see those words from your mom. She was a wonderful woman and you were a wonderful student.”
Accompanying the letter was a class photo of Jevon at age six a piece of his early childhood he had little memory of.
Courage in Crisis
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Lyles was among the crew aboard Flight 93, one of four planes hijacked that day. Before her ultimate fate, she left voice messages for her husband, describing the hijacking, and shared that she and other passengers planned to resist.
At age 33, Lyles had been a former police detective and more recently completed training to become a flight attendant.
During the hijacking, she said:
“We’ve been hijacked … I hope to be able to see your face again, baby. I love you.”
She later told her husband they were preparing to act. The final words recorded in their conversation were, “We’re getting ready to do it now. It’s happening!”
Flight 93 crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing all 44 on board. But the heroic resistance by crew and passengers likely prevented the plane from reaching its intended target, saving many lives on the ground.
Legacy, Memory & New Life
For Jevon, the letter is more than written words; it’s a bridge to a mother he can no longer see but can still feel. Now raising his own child, he said he will carry on in a way that makes his mother proud.
The community continues to honor Lyles’s memory. In Fort Pierce, Florida, a statue has been erected in her likeness, and community members gather to remember her laughter, spirit, and bravery.
In that small letter from 2001, she celebrated her son’s progress in reading that was a quiet, loving moment that survived decades and tragedy. Now, returned to its rightful recipient, it bears witness to the enduring ties of family, memory, and heroism.
References:
- Gillette, S. (2025, September 22). 9/11 Victim Wrote Son’s Teacher a Letter Months Before Her Death. He Teared Up Reading It 24 Years Later. PEOPLE. Retrieved from https://people.com/flight-attendant-mom-died-hero-on-9-11-letter-she-wrote-before-she-died-finally-made-it-to-him-24-years-later-11814520 (People.com)
- Shainman, J. (2025, September 16). EXCLUSIVE: Letter from 9/11 victim makes it to son 24 years later. WPTV. Retrieved from https://www.wptv.com/news/region-st-lucie-county/fort-pierce/exclusive-letter-from-9-11-victim-makes-it-to-son-24-years-later (WPTV News Channel 5 West Palm)
- (2025, September 20). Letter written by flight attendant who died in 9/11 attacks makes it to her son 24 years later. KGNS. Retrieved from https://www.kgns.tv/2025/09/20/letter-written-by-flight-attendant-who-died-911-attacks-makes-it-her-son-24-years-later/ (kgns.tv)
