BOSTON – On the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Governor Maura Healey presented the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery to Thomas Joseph “TJ” Swenson Jr. for his extraordinary actions to protect others during a shooting on Memorial Drive in Cambridge earlier this year.
Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll presented the award during Massachusetts’ annual September 11 commemoration at the State House. Named in honor of Massachusetts native and American Airlines flight attendant Madeline “Amy” Sweeney, the award recognizes civilians who demonstrate extraordinary courage and put their own safety at risk to help save others in imminent danger.
“On this 25th anniversary, we remember the lives taken from us on September 11 and the extraordinary courage of people who stepped forward when others needed them most,” said Governor Maura Healey. “TJSwenson showed that same kind of leadership on Memorial Drive. In a terrifying and rapidly unfolding situation, he put himself at risk and helped protect the people around him until first responders arrived. His courage, selflessness and willingness to act represent the very best of Massachusetts, and I’m proud to honor him with an award that carries Amy Sweeney’s legacy forward.”
“TJ was confronted with a terrifying and dangerous situation, and in that moment, he chose to help the people around him,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, chair of the Sweeney Award Selection Committee. “That kind of courage is at the heart of the Madeline ‘Amy’ Sweeney Award. Twenty-five years after September 11, TJ reminds us that Amy’s legacy of selflessness and service continues in the actions of people who step forward when others need them most.”
On May 11, 2026, Swenson encountered a dangerous and rapidly unfolding shooting on Memorial Drive in Cambridge in which multiple people were injured. Recognizing the immediate danger, Swenson warned people nearby and took action to help protect members of the public until law enforcement arrived and secured the scene.
Swenson’s actions, together with the response of Massachusetts State Police Troopers, Cambridge Police Officers, firefighters, EMS personnel and hospital staff, helped protect members of the public and allowed first responders to provide critical medical care to those who were injured.
“On the twenty-fifth anniversary of September 11, we recognize that millions of Americans have no lived memory of the events of that day. Yet the values embodied by Madeline Amy Sweeney – selflessness, courage in the face of danger, and an unwavering commitment to protecting others – remain as relevant today as they were a quarter century ago,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Gina Kwon. “TJSwenson’s actions remind us that ordinary citizens are still capable of extraordinary acts of bravery. In risking his own life to save complete strangers, he has honored the legacy this award was created to preserve.
“TJSwenson found himself in an extraordinarily dangerous and rapidly unfolding situation and made the courageous decision to help protect those around him,” said Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble. “His bravery and concern for others exemplify the qualities recognized by the Madeline ‘Amy’ Sweeney Award. We are proud to join in honoring TJ for his actions that day.”
“The events on Memorial Drive deeply affected our community, and TJSwenson responded when people around him needed help,” said Cambridge Police Acting Police Commissioner Pauline Wells. “Today, we recognize TJ while also thanking the police officers, firefighters, EMS personnel and medical professionals whose coordinated response helped protect and care for those affected.”
Madeline “Amy” Sweeney was an American Airlines flight attendant for 14 years and lived in Acton with her husband, Michael, and their two children. On September 11, 2001, Sweeney was working aboard American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane hijacked by terrorists and flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. In the final minutes of the flight, she contacted the airline’s ground services crew and relayed critical information about the hijackers and what was happening aboard the plane.
The Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery was created to honor her extraordinary heroism and the courage of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. Each year, the award recognizes a Massachusetts civilian who, without regard for their own personal safety, demonstrates exceptional bravery in an effort to save others from imminent danger.
The award presentation is part of Massachusetts’ broader commemoration of the 25th anniversary of September 11. Governor Healey ordered flags at state buildings to be lowered to half-staff and called on residents, schools, businesses and organizations across Massachusetts to observe a statewide moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., marking the time the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The State House is also being illuminated red, white and blue on the evenings of September 10 and September 11.
Governor Healey, First Lady Joanna Lydgate and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll joined Massachusetts 9/11 families for the annual State House commemoration and reading of the names of victims with ties to Massachusetts under this year’s theme, “Massachusetts Remembers: United We Stand.” Commemorations continue throughout the day with the annual wreath laying at the Boston Public Garden 9/11 Memorial and the 25th anniversary of the Massachusetts Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony at Ashburton Park.
Massachusetts students are also meeting with 9/11 family members at the State House to hear their stories and help ensure that, as a new generation learns about September 11 as history rather than lived experience, the lives that were lost and the lessons of that day continue to be remembered.
