Lauren Grandcolas

Biography Grandcolas (née Catuzzi) was born on August 31, 1963, in Bloomington, Indiana. She attended Stratford High School in Houston, Texas, and later the University of Texas at Austin where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi. She met her husband, Jack Grandcolas, at the university. The book, entitled You Can Do It!: The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown-Up Girls, was published on April 10, 2005. It provides a guide, modeled on the Girl Scouts' merit badge system, covering skills, such as negotiations, and life goals, such as horseback riding, scuba diving, and completing a triathlon. Book excerpts have appeared in Parade, Glamour, Shape, Good Housekeeping, and other magazines. Grandcolas's sisters appeared on Good Morning America on April 19, 2005, to discuss the book. The proceeds from sales of the book go to the Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas Foundation, which contributes funds to a college scholarship program.

Grandcolas was also involved with charitable organizations, including the United Way, March of Dimes, Project Open Hand, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Breast Cancer Awareness, and Glide Memorial.

September 11 attacks

"Jack, pick up sweetie, can you hear me? Okay. I just want to tell you, there's a little problem with the plane. I'm fine. I'm totally fine. I just want to tell you how much I love you." — Message left by Lauren Grandcolas from United 93 at 09:39:21. She arrived early at the airport on September 11, 2001, allowing her to board United Airlines Flight 93, which was earlier than her originally scheduled flight. She left a message for her husband, who was still sleeping, telling him of the "problem with the plane". Her last phone message to her husband was played in the docudrama The Flight That Fought Back. She then passed her phone to Honor Elizabeth Wainio. At the time of her death, at the age of 38, she was three months pregnant with their first child.

Grandcolas and her unborn child were memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel S-68, along with other passengers on Flight 93, at the National 9/11 Memorial.

Published works You Can Do It!: The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown-Up Girls, 2005 Chronicle Books; Bk&Sticker (Published posthumously through the efforts of her sisters, Vaughn Lohec and Dara Near)

In popular culture In the 2005 television film The Flight That Fought Back, which depicts the passenger uprising inside the hijacked United Airlines 93, Grandcolas is portrayed by Christy Dawn Little. She is portrayed by Jacqueline Ann Steuart in the 2006 film Flight 93. She is portrayed by Kate Jennings Grant in the 2006 film United 93.