25 YEARS LATER, HER FAMILY STILL REMEMBERS THE WOMAN WHO NEVER MADE IT HOME FROM FLIGHT 93

Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, the family of CeeCee Ross Lyles is once again remembering a woman whose final moments became part of one of the most extraordinary chapters in American history.

Lyles was a flight attendant aboard United Airlines Flight 93, the plane that crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2001.

This week, her family returned to Pennsylvania for the 25th-anniversary ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial, honoring her life and remembering the courage displayed aboard the aircraft that morning.

SHE WAS MORE THAN A FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Before becoming a flight attendant, Lyles had spent years serving her community in Florida.

The Fort Pierce native worked for the Fort Pierce Police Department for six years, including as a police officer and detective, before pursuing her dream of working in aviation.

She moved to Fort Myers in 2000 to begin her new career as a flight attendant.

Less than a year later, her life would become forever linked to the events of September 11.

FLIGHT 93 BECAME A SYMBOL OF COURAGE

Flight 93 was hijacked as part of the coordinated September 11 attacks.

The aircraft ultimately crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers and crew members attempted to regain control of the plane.

No one aboard survived.

The actions of those on Flight 93 have since become a lasting symbol of courage and sacrifice, with the crash site transformed into the Flight 93 National Memorial.

Lyles’ name remains among those remembered there.

‘I REALLY MISS HER’

For her family, however, CeeCee is not simply a name associated with a historic event.

She was a mother, wife, daughter and friend whose absence has been felt for a quarter of a century.

Her husband recently reflected on the 25th anniversary, saying that seeing photographs of her around their home continues to bring back the loss.

“I really miss her,” he said, remembering the woman he loved.

Her son, Jevon Castrillo, has also spoken publicly about keeping his mother’s memory alive and continuing to share her story with future generations.

HER HOMETOWN HAS NEVER FORGOTTEN

In Fort Pierce, CeeCee’s legacy has become part of the city’s identity.

A life-sized bronze statue of her stands at Liberty Garden overlooking the Indian River, and the city continues to hold an annual memorial ceremony in her honor.

The 2026 ceremony on September 11 included a special tribute to Lyles as the community marked the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

Her story is also remembered through scholarships and community tributes established in her name.

25 YEARS, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

September 11 changed the United States forever.

For CeeCee Ross Lyles’ family, it also created a personal loss that can never truly be measured in years.

Twenty-five years later, they continue to return to the places where her story ended — not simply to remember how she died, but to remember who she was before that morning changed everything.

A police officer.

A detective.

A flight attendant.

A mother.

A wife.

And, to the people who knew her best, simply CeeCee.

Her hometown continues to honor her. Her family continues to tell her story.

And 25 years later, her name is still remembered.