[Margaret Pilkington]

The other thing worth remembering is that the people on the plane who tried to overpower the assailants during the 9/11 didn't know each other....so what you may say.....there was still an element of shock. OK, that I will grant you, but I am sure they were mature men who had had a little more experience of life. These were just kids (although maybe they would not agree with that) who were seeing their peers gunned down...people they had perhaps sat next to in class....done homework with, socialised with.
What a terrifying experience they take into the rest of their lives.
Faced with a similar situation, we ALL think we know what we would do.......but none of us really KNOW. Situations happen that tend to make cowards of us - even if we think we have a plan.