This is Mark Bingham. He is my hero for multiple reasons. Not only was he a great rugby player, but he was on Flight 93 that went down in a field on September 11, 2001. He called his mother early that morning from the plane to tell her he loved her and them himself, along with other men aboard the plane, forced themselves on the hijackers and were a huge reason in why the plane crash was not any worse. Their bravery may have saved hundreds of lives.
Mark was also an openly gay man. He helped start a “gay rugby world cup” that has grown much since his tragic death on that September morning. Bingham did not fit the gay man stereotype… So to anyone who thinks gay men are a punch of pansies, I challenge you to go up to the Gay Rugby World Cup, and try and take on of them.
This man is my hero because he was an openly gay male athlete, who had the courage to stand up to the terrorists on Flight 93, and he was PROUD of who he was.
Mark Kendall Bingham May 22, 1970 – September 11, 2001
For the whole story and more info on Mark, visit www.markbingham.com
