interview 2

September 11, 2001 is now a date in history, it is a day that Americans will never forget, on that day thousands of innocent citizens were killed, and for Meaghan Coombs it was the first day that her father never came home.
On the morning of 9/11, Jeff Coombs, 42 years old, boarded American Airlines flight 11 headed for LA. Sadly the hijackers on that plane had a different destination for those innocent passengers. Flight 11 hit tower 1 of the World Trade Center buildings. Looking back on the past, Meaghan said, “At the time I was only 11 years old, it was really hard for me to cope with the fact that my father wasn’t around anymore”.
Within the first year of the tragedy, Meaghan’s mother started the Jeff Coombs Foundation. A family friend of the Coombs’ also put together a road race; about 1000 people take part in this event each year. Each year the road race collects $30,000-$50,000 this money goes to the Jeff Coombs foundations. “It felt great to be involved in a foundation that was helping people, but I wanted to start my own project”, explains Meaghan. In 2005, Meaghan single handedly organized a concert that is held every year. Normally the concert brings between $5-6,000 each year, these proceeds also go to the Jeff Coombs Foundation as well. Meaghan’s mother continued her efforts and in 2003, Meaghan’s mother started the celebrity silent auction. The Jeff Coombs Foundation provides money towards scholarships, funeral expenses, school systems, medical bills, and troop’s parties.
Meaghan and her family came out tragedy with their heads held high. As a family they have done so much for the community, both Meaghan and her mother won the “Woman of Strength” award given out by an organization called Tuesday’s Children. Meaghan says, “I’m proud of my family and everything we have done; we made the best of what we were dealt”.