Former Steelers plan Flight 93 fundraising dinner

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Former running back Rocky Bleier and other ex-Pittsburgh Steelers are organizing a fundraising dinner to benefit the Flight 93 National Memorial.

Bleier announced plans Wednesday for the “40 for 40” dinner that will bring together 40 Steelers alumni with the families of the 40 passengers and crew killed when the plane crashed on September 11, 2001.

Flight 93 was traveling from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco when hijackers took it over. Passengers tried to take back the plane before it crashed in a field near Shanksville, killing everyone aboard.

Bleier says he hopes the November 17 dinner will raise more than the $250,000 brought in by a similar event last year.

Construction of the memorial is under way. The first phase is expected to be dedicated in time for the 10th anniversary of the crash.