Mari-Rae Sopper

{{Short description|American gymnastics coach, Navy JAG lawyer, 9/11 attack victim (1966–2001)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Mari-Rae Sopper

| image = Mari-Rae Sopper.jpg

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1966|6|19}}

| birth_place = United States

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2001|9|11|1966|6|19}}

| death_place = Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.

| death_cause = Plane crash (September 11 terrorist attacks)

| body_discovered =

| resting_place = Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.

| monuments = National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Pentagon Memorial

| nationality =

| education = Iowa State University (BS)
University of North Texas (MS)
University of Denver (JD)

| occupation = Gymnastics coach and former lawyer

| employer = University of California, Santa Barbara

| children =

| parents =

| relatives =

| awards =

| website = {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20060425131848/http://www.mari-rae.net/}}

| signature =

}}

Mari-Rae Sopper (June 19, 1966 – September 11, 2001) was an American gymnastics coach and Judge Advocate General's Corps lawyer. She was a victim of the September 11 attacks as a passenger on hijacked American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon.

Early life and education

Sopper was born on June 19, 1966, to Marion and Bill Sopper.{{cite web |date=2015-09-16 |title=State of Illinois 92nd General Assembly Legislation |url=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet92/hrgroups/hr/920HR0531LV.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306151954/http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet92/hrgroups/hr/920HR0531LV.html |archive-date=2016-03-06 |accessdate=2015-09-16 |website=Illinois General Assembly |language=en-US}}{{cite news |last=Hull |first=Jolene |date=2003-09-11 |title=In memory of Mari-Rae |url=http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/article_1cc51c8a-dc04-5bd3-9e59-dce046571315.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305200652/http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/article_1cc51c8a-dc04-5bd3-9e59-dce046571315.html |archive-date=2016-03-05 |accessdate=2015-09-16 |newspaper=Iowa State Daily |location=Ames, Iowa |language=en-US}} She was a native of Inverness, Illinois.{{cite web |date=2002-08-01 |title=Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 107th Congress, Second Session |url=https://www.congress.gov/crec/2002/08/01/CREC-2002-08-01-bk2.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307200152/https://www.congress.gov/crec/2002/08/01/CREC-2002-08-01-bk2.pdf |archive-date=2016-03-07 |accessdate=2015-09-16 |website=United States Congress |pages=S7878–S7879 |language=en-US}}{{cite news |last=Sotonoff |first=Jamie |date=2015-06-19 |title=Book recounts Inverness 9/11 victim's triumph over mental illness |url=http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150619/news/150618831/ |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025113250/http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150619/news/150618831/ |archive-date=2015-10-25 |accessdate=2015-09-16 |newspaper=Daily Herald |location=Arlington Heights, Illinois |language=en-US}} She attended William Fremd High School in Palatine, Illinois, and was a stand-out gymnast.{{cite news |last=Burton |first=Cheryl |author-link1=Cheryl Burton |date=2011-09-06 |title=Ten Years Later: 'There's an acceptance that comes' |url=http://abc7chicago.com/archive/8342977/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112949/http://abc7chicago.com/archive/8342977/ |archive-date=2016-03-04 |accessdate=2015-09-16 |newspaper=ABC 7 Eyewitness News |publisher=ABC News |location=Chicago |language=en-US}}

Sopper enrolled at Iowa State University and walked-on to their women's gymnastics team as a freshman.{{cite news |last=Harpster |first=Dayna |date=September 9, 2011 |title=Marion Kminek wants us to never forget her daughter, Mari-Rae |url=http://archive.news-press.com/article/20110910/NEWS01/110909026/Marion-Kminek-wants-us-never-forget-her-daughter-Mari-Rae |newspaper=The News-Press |location=Fort Myers, Florida |accessdate=September 16, 2015 }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} She was placed on scholarship for her final three years, culminating in being named "Most Valuable Gymnast" as a senior. She graduated from Iowa State University in 1988 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science.{{cite web |date=2011-09-09 |title=Ten Years Later, Cyclones Continue to Honor 9/11 Victim |url=http://www.cyclones.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10700&ATCLID=205243090 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815144446/http://www.cyclones.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10700&ATCLID=205243090 |archive-date=2015-08-15 |accessdate=2015-09-15 |website=Iowa State Cyclones |language=en-US}}{{cite web |date=2002-06-14 |title=UNT alumna killed |url=http://www.unt.edu/northtexan/archives/f01/untnews.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210190557/http://www.unt.edu/northtexan/archives/f01/untnews.htm |archive-date=2016-02-10 |accessdate=2015-09-16 |website=University of North Texas |language=en-US}}

Sopper went on to attend the University of North Texas, where she graduated with a master's degree in athletic administration in 1993. She earned her J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law in 1996.

Career

In 1996, Sopper moved to Washington, D.C. and worked for the Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy as a lieutenant.{{cite web |date=2012-12-08 |title=Biographies: Mari-Rae Sopper |url=http://pentagonmemorial.org/explore/biographies/mari-rae-sopper |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905081104/http://pentagonmemorial.org/explore/biographies/mari-rae-sopper |archive-date=2015-09-05 |accessdate=2015-09-16 |website=The 9/11 Pentagon Memorial |language=en-US}}{{cite journal |last=Wulf |first=Steve |date=2001-10-01 |title=Sudden Death |url=https://www.espn.com/magazine/vol4no20wulf.html |url-status=live |journal=ESPN The Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219034720/http://espn.go.com/magazine/vol4no20wulf.html |archive-date=2008-12-19 |access-date=2015-09-16}} She worked for four years in this capacity before leaving for Schmeltzer Aptaker & Shepard. While working, Sopper continued to be involved with gymnastics and served on the coaching staffs of the United States Naval Academy women's gymnastics club team and at George Washington University.

Sopper was appointed as the head coach for UC Santa Barbara Gauchos' women's gymnastics team on August 31, 2001.{{cite web |last=Mahoney |first=Bill |date=2001-09-12 |title=UCSB Women's Gymnastics Coach, Mari-Rae Sopper, Among Those Who Perished On American Airlines Flight 77 |url=http://www.instadv.ucsb.edu/ucsb_response/sopper.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20011127101112/http://www.instadv.ucsb.edu/ucsb_response/sopper.html |archivedate=2001-11-27 |accessdate=2015-09-16 |website=UCSB |language=en-US}} UC Santa Barbara, just days earlier on August 10, had announced the immediate discontinuation of the program, but it was re-instated on August 13.{{cite web |last=Mahoney |first=Bill |date=2001-08-13 |title=UCSB Will Sponsor Gymnastics For One More Season |url=http://ucsbgauchos.collegesports.com/genrel/081401aaa.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041125085140/http://ucsbgauchos.collegesports.com/genrel/081401aaa.html |archivedate=2004-11-25 |accessdate=2015-09-16 |website=UCSB |language=en-US}}{{cite news |date=2001-09-12 |title=UCSB gymnastics coach among attack victims |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/2001-09-12-gymnastics-coach.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150303191605/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/2001-09-12-gymnastics-coach.htm |archive-date=2015-03-03 |accessdate=2015-09-17 |newspaper=USA Today |location=Tysons Corner, Virginia |language=en-US}} Despite a pay-cut of over 70%, a salary of $98,000 as a lawyer to her new $28,000 women's gymnastics salary, and UC Santa Barbara officials stating the program's termination in a year, Sopper agreed to take the job.{{cite news |last=Richardson |first=Scott |date=2011-09-11 |title=Sister remembers B-N resident who died in attacks |url=https://pantagraph.com/news/local/sister-remembers-b-n-resident-who-died-in-attacks/article_2e58fe4a-dc12-11e0-a838-001cc4c002e0.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721195211/https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/sister-remembers-b-n-resident-who-died-in-attacks/article_2e58fe4a-dc12-11e0-a838-001cc4c002e0.html |archive-date=2021-07-21 |accessdate=2015-09-16 |newspaper=The Pantagraph |location=Bloomington, Illinois |language=en-US}}

Death and legacy

On September 11, 2001, Sopper was aboard American Airlines Flight 77 en route to Los Angeles International Airport to begin her new career; however, the plane was hijacked and deliberately crashed into The Pentagon.{{cite journal |last=Cox |first=Vic |date=2001-09-24 |title=Shock, Sorrow, and Chance: Terror Attacks Felt Locally |url=http://www.ia.ucsb.edu/93106_archived/2001/sept24/attacks/attacks.html |url-status=dead |journal=93106 |publisher=University of California, Santa Barbara |volume=12 |issue=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122235509/http://www.ia.ucsb.edu/93106_archived/2001/sept24/attacks/attacks.html |archive-date=2015-11-22 |accessdate=September 16, 2015}}{{cite web |date=2001-09-12 |title=UCSB Women's Gymnastics Coach, Mari-Rae Sopper, Among Those Who Perished On American Airlines Flight 77 |url=http://ucsbgauchos.ocsn.com/genrel/091201aaa.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20021017235747/http://ucsbgauchos.ocsn.com/genrel/091201aaa.html |archivedate=2002-10-17 |accessdate=2015-09-16 |website=University of California - Santa Barbara Gauchos |language=en-US}}{{cite news |date=2015-09-13 |title=Mari-Rae Sopper |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-met-aj-8-91120110902160409-photo.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913233509/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-met-aj-8-91120110902160409-photo.html |archive-date=2015-09-13 |accessdate=2015-09-17 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |location=Chicago |language=en-US}} Her remains were later recovered and identified. She was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

File:September 11 Memorial - Mari-Rae Sopper.jpg

Sopper is memorialized at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in Manhattan, New York City and the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington County, Virginia. Her alma mater, Iowa State University, presents the "Mari-Rae Sopper Outstanding Performance Award" to a gymnastics athlete after each home meet. A Judge Advocate General's Corps conference room within The Pentagon was also named after her.

UC Santa Barbara honored Sopper by dedicating the 2002 women's gymnastics season in her honor.{{cite web |date=2002-02-28 |title=A Truly Special Night |url=http://ucsbgauchos.ocsn.com/sports/w-gym/recaps/022802aaa.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20021129031452/http://ucsbgauchos.ocsn.com/sports/w-gym/recaps/022802aaa.html |archivedate=2002-11-29 |accessdate=2015-09-17 |website=University of California - Santa Barbara Gauchos |language=en-US}}{{cite news |last=Freet |first=Chris |date=2002-02-27 |title=Women's Gymnastics: UCSB Honors Coach |url=https://dailynexus.com/2002-02-27/womens-gymnastics-ucsb-honors-coach/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305010027/http://dailynexus.com/2002-02-27/womens-gymnastics-ucsb-honors-coach/ |archive-date=2016-03-05 |accessdate=2015-09-17 |newspaper=Daily Nexus |location=Santa Barbara, California |language=en-US}} The team flew Sopper's mother and step-father in for a match at the university's expense.

The Mari-Rae Sopper Gymnastics Memorial Fund was created by her mother, Marion, with an initial aim to save the UC Santa Barbara gymnastics program.{{cite news |last=Sotonoff |first=Jamie |date=December 30, 2001 |title=A mission of love: Four months to raise $4 million |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3240085/marirae_sopper_fund/ |newspaper=Daily Herald |volume=130 |issue=77 |location=Arlington Heights, Illinois |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=September 17, 2015 |archive-date=March 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322045218/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3240085/marirae_sopper_fund/ |url-status=live }} {{Open access}} The effort was ultimately unsuccessful after UC Santa Barbara set a $4 million goal while the Fund offered $75,000 and UCSB cut the program.{{cite news |last=Sotonoff |first=Jamie |date=May 3, 2002 |title=Falling Short of Goal, Family Redirects Memorial Fund |url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-85476083 |newspaper=Daily Herald |location=Arlington Heights, Illinois }}{{dead link|date=July 2021}} The Fund ultimately went to help other gymnastics programs in need.{{cite news |last=Livingston |first=Ashleigh |date=2012-07-29 |title=City School gymnastics saved by 9/11 victim's fund |url=https://www.pressrepublican.com/news/local_news/city-school-gymnastics-saved-by-victim-s-fund/article_e75e4d43-50d2-5587-a665-7fecf8ecda03.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721195201/https://www.pressrepublican.com/news/local_news/city-school-gymnastics-saved-by-victim-s-fund/article_e75e4d43-50d2-5587-a665-7fecf8ecda03.html |archive-date=2021-07-21 |accessdate=2015-09-17 |newspaper=Press-Republican |location=Plattsburgh, New York |language=en-US}}{{cite news |last=Kittle |first=Shaun |date=2012-08-16 |title=Plattsburgh city school's budget cuts |url=http://www.suncommunitynews.com/news/plattsburgh-city-schools-budget-cuts/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531031125/http://www.suncommunitynews.com/news/plattsburgh-city-schools-budget-cuts/ |archive-date=2016-05-31 |accessdate=2015-09-17 |newspaper=Sun Community News |location=Plattsburgh, New York |language=en-US}}{{cite news |last=Sotonoff |first=Jamie |date=2009-09-11 |title=Are we keeping our vow to 'never forget?' |url=http://prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=320377 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305012352/http://prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=320377 |archive-date=2016-03-05 |accessdate=2015-09-17 |newspaper=Daily Herald |location=Arlington Heights, Illinois |language=en-US}}