NASA Astronaut Helps Fulfill Childhood Dream Of Man Who Was Killed In 9/11 Attacks

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on October 22, 2021. It has since been updated.

Chandler "Chad" Keller's childhood dream is coming true. He knew when he was just six years old that he wanted to be an astronaut. But sadly, circumstances did not allow this dream to come to fruition. His father, Richard Keller recalled that "his eyes were kind of bad." The kid who would launch rockets from his backyard did not lose hope and instead pursued a degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado in Boulder in the hopes that he could someday be able to go to space. Chad then went on to land a job at Boeing as a propulsion specialist launching communication satellites for the US Department of Defense and National Reconnaissance Office, reported CNN.

Because of the nature of his job, Chad was in the nation's capital on 9/11. Specifically, he was at the Pentagon to attend launch briefings. Following the meetings, he boarded American Airlines Flight 77 from the Washington Dulles International Airport to head back home to Los Angeles. His parents as well as his wife, Lisa, whom he had married just over a year ago, lived in California. The flight was one of the four flights that were hijacked. It took off, circled around, and crashed into the Pentagon killing Chad. He was only 29 years old.

“He probably lived 100 years in 29. I mean he did everything you could possibly do by the time he was 29,” his father told NBC News. However, he was unable to go to space like he intended to. That was until American astronaut Chris Cassidy heard about Chad’s childhood wish. Cassidy is a former Navy seal, who also fought against Al Qaeda terrorists after 9/11. He reached out to the Keller’s and asked them if he could take Chad along with him on the flight to the International Space Station. Cassidy was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2004, and has been on the Endeavour shuttle in 2009, and spent two rotations on the International Space Station from March to September 2013 and April to October 2020. He has completed a total of 10 spacewalks.

"The beauty of flying to space multiple times is that the first time is kind of for you, and subsequent times, it's kind of for others," Cassidy said. "One of the special things about spaceflight is that NASA allows us to carry a few mementos for friends, family, loved ones and organizations that mean something to us." At first, he carried trinkets for mainly his family and then decided he would do it for others. He came across Chad's story at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. He immediately knew whom he would be taking into space for his final flight.

Cassidy then reached out to Chad's father and asked him if they'd let him take his son for a ride with him in space. "I was just really excited to talk to Chad's family and let them know what it meant to me to bring their family, specifically Chad, to the space station and kind of complete his journey," Cassidy said. The family obliged and could not be happier for their son's dream finally coming true. Cassidy carried Chad's Boeing launch pins, two pins from the University of Colorado, his memorial service program, a photo of Chad and his wife Lisa and a letter, as well as some of his ashes. He also took with him a piece of steel and wristbands carrying messages of hope from the 9/11 museum.

"It was a wonderful gift, and we appreciate it every day," Richard said. "That was just the top of the spectrum, to have his ashes go to space. That's a place he hadn't been, but was his dream," Richard said.

Refrences:

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/09/08/world/nasa-astronaut-911-victim-tribute-scn/index.html

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/parents-of-chad-keller-killed-on-9-11-continue-his-legacy-20-years-later/2715382/

Image Source: Getty Images/gorodenkoff/Representative