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More questions for Middlefield family 15 years after 9/11

MIDDLEFIELD – September 11, 2001 is a day one Middlefield family will never forget. They clearly remember the beginning of that dark day and their initial...
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MIDDLEFIELD - September 11, 2001 is a day one Middlefield family will never forget. They clearly remember the beginning of that dark day and their initial sigh of relief.

“I started to cry because it was tears of joy. He was OK. He survived,” Brett Eagleson recalls, after finding out from his mom and older brother that his dad, Bruce Eagleson, got out alive.

Bruce was commuting from Middlefield to New York City for work, where he served as vice president of The Westfield Group, managing retail shops at the World Trade Center.

He was in the south tower when a plane struck the north tower and quickly got out of the building, while helping get his ten employees to safety.

Moments before the south tower was hit, Bruce went back inside to help evacuate others and within the same hour, the tower collapsed.

“When it became later in the night and he didn`t call, then, I just had a feeling, that he wasn`t going to be calling,” said Gail Eagleson, Bruce’s wife.

For the past few years, the Eagleson`s have remembered Bruce and other victims at ceremonies in New York and Connecticut, seeking closure.

This September 11th, they’re seeking answers to get the full picture of what really happened leading up to the attacks.

“It's a cover-up. It’s really a cover-up,” said Gail.

A congressional inquiry into the attack produced more than 800 pages. Most of it was made public, with the exception of a small chapter known as the "28 pages."

Recently declassified, it claims the hijackers may have received financial and logistical support from Saudi Arabia, a US ally and home to 15 of the 19 hijackers.

Now, the Eagleson’s are pushing to get the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act passed, allowing families to sue foreign governments supporting terrorists. It could force US investigators to release other classified information about the attack, like who paid for the hijackers housing and flight lessons in the United States.

The US Senate recently passed the bill and Senator Richard Blumenthal is urging the house to do so this fall.

“It remained secret for all these years. Now, there are more chilling revelations and there may be even more if all the documents are revealed and that's what should happen in a court of law,” said Blumenthal.

Some lawmakers insist that there's no conclusive evidence showing the Saudi’s knowingly provided support to the hijackers.

Saudi leaders also deny involvement and are threatening to sell $750 billion in US assets held by the kingdom, if this bill passes.

“We have more questions today than we did 15 years ago and that's not right,’ said the Eaglesons.

The Eaglesons said all they want this September 11th is some form of peace.

Bruce’s body was never recovered, so, they never got to say goodbye and too many questions still come to mind.

“I have milestones to come. I’m getting married next year. He’s not going to be there for that. He won't see my kids. So, there's always a constant reminder of what happened 15 years ago,” said Brett.

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