On December 21, 2001, I jogged up the path to the White House and handed the Olympic torch to President Bush.

I carried the flame in honor of my late husband Brady Howell who was killed in the attack on the Pentagon.

I know I will never forget or stop missing my dear husband. There is a void in my life that is unfading.

There is no more fitting symbol of hope than the Olympic flame.

The flame shines brightly and symbolizes purity, unity through diversity, the endeavor for perfection, and the struggle for inner victory.

That is why I agreed to participate in the Olympic torch relay.

Commemorating the sacrifice of Brady and other victims causes my heart to swell with tremendous feelings of comfort and strength.

I have hope that a lot of good things are still to come. That’s what sustains me.