Betty Ann Ong (1956-2001)
Betty Ann Ong Chinese Recreation Center (1199 Mason Street, San Francisco)
Betty Ann Ong was born in San Francisco and raised in Chinatown. After graduating from high school, she started her career as a flight attendant with American Airlines for the next fourteen years. During American Airlines Flight 11 that was hijacked enroute from Boston to Los Angeles on September 11, 2001, Betty Ann used a phone to contact American Airlines agent, Nydia Gonzales. In the twenty-three minute call, she was able to clearly provide information on what was happening on the plane and a description of the hijackers. Betty Ann has been honored in numerous ways since the 9/11 tragedy. With the renovation of the Chinatown Recreation Center, the community decided to rename it as the Betty Ann Ong Chinese Recreation Center.
(Portrait by Millie Leung, SFSU 2013)