She lost her husband in the 9/11 attacks and now she's telling the world his heartbreaking last words

The events of September 11, 2001, left thousands of families devastated and triggered a series of events that wreaked havoc across the world. During the horrifying attack, two planes smashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York. Many others were injured or later developed health problems, and this included firefighters who were exposed to toxic elements while responding to the emergency. Julie Sweeney Roth's husband Brian Sweeney was a passenger on one of those airplanes and lost his life. Despite his death, his final words live on, giving his wife comfort in the face of her unimaginable grief.

All Brian could think about in his last moments was his wife Julie. His message to her was also archived at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. In his moving voicemail, Brian said, "Hey Jules, this is Brian. I'm on an airplane that has been hijacked...if things don't go well, and they're not looking good, I want you to know that I absolutely love you." As reported by Bustle, he added, "I want you to do good, have good times, same with my parents. I'll see you when you get here. I want you to know that I totally love you. Bye, babe, hope I will call you."

He sent the message just three and a half minutes before the plane crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum also built an installation where visitors can listen to his words through a telephone, preserving his voice. For Julie, that message was far more than a historical artifact. She said, “I was lucky Brian called and spoke to me on that message. He told me what he believed and I grasped onto that with all I had, and I’ve embraced life — I am living it as I know he would want me to do.” She added, “The priority to him in those moments was to let his loved ones know that he loved us and that it was okay to move forward and do what we needed to do.”

As reported by People Magazine, she continued, “Though he believed he would see us again, he wanted us to know it was all going to be okay no matter how it turned out.” Brian had a distinguished career as a Navy instructor and as a pilot during the Persian Gulf War. Julie remembered him with affection, saying he had the confidence and charm of Tom Cruise, but with a warmth that made everyone want to hug him. She decided to share Brian's voicemail in January 2002 out of compassion for other people who had lost loved ones on the same flight.

Julie has since built a new life in New Jersey, remarrying while carrying the memories of her past. Before this, she also dedicated her time to the 9/11 Tribute Museum. Through this work, she found a way to process her grief and embrace her life. Before the plane crashed, Brian didn’t just reach out to his wife, he also called his mother. However, she later shared that their final conversation was too personal to discuss publicly. Years after the tragedy, an independent commission investigating the attacks revealed that Brian was one of just three passengers on his flight who managed to make a call before the crash.