Although we know the inherent risks and danger of these missions, it is still inconceivable to us that such brave men and women must meet such an untimely fate. And as the news of the incredible disaster spread over the weekend, our hearts filled with sorrow and grief over the loss to our nation, and to the families of these great heroes. And today, we join together here at the American Stock Exchange, and all over this great land, to mourn their passing.
Indeed, it is our destiny to continue to soar to the heights at which their mortal souls were lost - but where their spirits will always shine as a beacon of hope.
This morning, please join me in a moment of silence to commemorate the crew of the space shuttle Columbia: David Brown, Ilan Roman, Rick Husband, Kalpana Chawla, William McCool, Michael Anderson and Laurel Clark.
We offer the condolences of a grateful nation to the families of these brave men and women, and we take comfort in the knowledge that in their death. They remind us of the destiny of the human spirit and the greatness of which man is capable.
[At 9:29 a.m., the Amex trading floor observed one minute of silence, and at 9:30 a.m., Amex Chairman and CEO, Salvatore Sodano, rang the opening bell seven times in honor of each of the shuttle crew members.]
