Remembering 9/11: Barbara Olson fought for life until her final minutes, now Ted Olson does too

Barbara Olson, was onboard American Airlines Flight 77 when hijackers took over the plane on Sept. 11, 2001, from Washington Dulles airport to Los Angeles, where she was heading for an appearance on Bill Maher's TV show.

According to the 9/11 Commission report, Olson was one of only two people who was able to make phone calls to loved ones from the plane, aside from flight attendant Renee May. Twenty years later, Barbara's husband still marvels at her bravery and calm in the final moments of her life. "To this day, I don't know how in the world she managed to do it," said Ted Olson, who received the calls at his Justice Department office in Washington, D.C. The two phone calls were very brief and both ended abruptly. Two hijacked planes had already crashed into the World Trade Center and Olson's in-flight call prompted Ted Olson to warn others at the FBI and Justice Department that a third plane was under attack.