More than two decades after losing his mother in the deadly terrorist attacks of September 11, one Florida man received a special surprise– a beautiful piece of history which will forever remind him of her unwavering support.
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Jevon Castrillo is now the father of a three-month-old of his own, but he was just a young boy himself when he lost his mother, Cee Cee Lyles, who was a flight attendant on United Airlines flight 93, on September 11, 2001. The nonstop flight left from Newark, New Jersey, on its way to San Francisco, California, when the 9/11 hijackers took over and attempted to divert the plane to Washington, D.C. After a mid-air struggle between the hijackers and passengers, the plane ultimately crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing all 40 passengers and crew members on board.
Just months before she was killed, Lyles wrote a letter to her son’s kindergarten teacher, Tammy Thurman, thanking her for helping him become a better reader. Thurman sent the letter to the Florida NBC station WPTV, which then shared it with Jevon Castrillo.
“Dear Ms. Thurman, Jevon read a book last night that he brought home from the library. He read it from cover to cover. I told him I would write you a note and tell you what an outstanding job he did. We are very proud of him and will continue to work with him at home. Again, thank you for your dedication and courage for the job that you do. Cee Cee Lyles,” the letter read.
An emotional Castrillo was clearly moved by his late mother’s words.
“Very touching,” Castrillo told WPTV. “It seems very sweet, and it seems like something she would definitely say, you know.”
Ms. Thurman told WPTV that she was happy to get Jevon’s mother’s letter into his hands and called the opportunity for him to read her words a full-circle moment.
“As a mom, I know you need to see those words from your mom,” she said. “She was a wonderful woman, and you were a wonderful student.”
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