Barbara Olson, a prominent legal commentator and television pundit, was en route to appear on Bill Maher's show "Politically Incorrect" when the American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked on September 11, 2001. Olson died in the attack, which saw the plane crash into the Pentagon.

Two days prior to the tragedy, on September 9, 2001, Olson made her final television appearance on C-SPAN's "The Washington Journal." During the program, she discussed her burgeoning influence, having recently been named one of "the 100 most powerful women" in Washington by The Washingtonian magazine. When asked about the source of her influence, she responded with characteristic candor, suggesting it stemmed from her dedication and perhaps her connections, including with figures like Bill Press, a fellow guest on the show.

Olson, then 45, had become a familiar face on national television, including regular appearances on "Larry King Live" and "Politically Incorrect," in the span of just three years. Before her media career, she served as chief investigative counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives and worked for a law firm specializing in lobbying.

Her husband, Theodore Olson, who served as Solicitor General under President George W. Bush, recounted the harrowing details of her final moments in an interview. He revealed that Barbara made two phone calls to him from the hijacked plane. During these calls, she calmly informed him that the plane had been taken over by hijackers using knives and box cutters. She was on her way to Los Angeles.

She called her husband, former George W Bush Solicitor General Theodore Olson, twice to tell them hijackers had comandeered the aircraft by brandishing knives and box-cutters before the line cut

Despite the terrifying circumstances, Barbara Olson remained remarkably composed, reassuring her husband. Her calls provided critical, though tragically late, information to authorities, including warnings to the FBI and Justice Department about the unfolding attacks. Investigators later confirmed she was one of only two passengers able to make contact with loved ones. Her last words to her husband were "I love you."

Olson was one of only two people able to make a phone call to loved ones before the plane hit, investigators confirmed

Olson's tragic death occurred on what would have been her husband's birthday. She had initially planned to fly on September 10 but stayed an extra day to celebrate their anniversary dinner. Following the attacks, Bill Maher's show kept a guest chair empty in her honor for the week after her death, with Maher stating, "We are in tribute to her, and we cherish her memory. And when she was on our show, we always loved having her."

C-SPAN has since released the full episode of "The Washington Journal" featuring Olson's final television appearance to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the broadcast.