Sweethearts' Sept.11 Death

Shawn Nassaney and Lynn Goodchild were on their way to Hawaii for a vacation when United 175 was hijacked and forced to crash into the South Tower of the World Trade Center — leaving friends and family shocked about their deaths.

Their parents, Patrick and Margaret Nassaney and Bill and Ellen Goodchild joined The Early Show to discuss what the past year has been like and to give viewers a glimpse into the young lives taken away.

United flight 175 was the second plane to hit the World Trade Center on Sept 11. With only 56 passengers on board, the Boeing 767 left Boston's Logan Airport for Los Angeles at 8:14a.m., just 15 minutes after American flight 11, the first plane involved in the attacks. According to the FAA, the flight did not deviate from its course until it hit northern New Jersey. Then, it turned and flew almost due south before turning again and flying north to Manhattan.

Forty-nine minutes after take off, United flight 175 crashed into the South Tower, just 18 minutes after the first plane hit the other tower.

Goodchild and Nassaney were college sweethearts and had been together for three years. The 25-year-olds met their freshmen year in college, but didn't start going out until their senior year. They had mutual friends, however she didn't care for him at first because she said he was cocky.

"Shawn was dating someone at the time, but told his friend, 'I am going to date Lynn,'" said Nassaney's father, Patrick. "His friend said, 'but you are already dating someone.' When they began to date, he called his friend up and said, 'I told you so.'"

Goodchild called Nassaney "the kid" because he had such a baby face look. She wanted him to grow side burns so he would look a bit older. Other than that, according to the Goodchilds, she told a friend he was pretty much perfect, but she didn't want Shawn to know she thought that. She didn't want it to go to his head.

"They were always together," Goodchild's mother, Ellen, said. The couple loved to travel. "They wanted to learn as much as they could whereever they went," said Patrick. "They enjoyed museums and foods and activities and they just liked to meet people."

Friends and family agree it was likely that the couple would have eventually become engaged.

"Yes, we talked about a wedding and where it was going to be … She didn't want a photographer, she just wanted candid shots. It would have been a different kind of wedding. It would have been nice," said Ellen.

The Nassaneys believed the couple were soul mates.

Ellen, described her daughter as beautiful inside and out. And Ellen said both parents loved Nassaney.

"He had a lot of self confidence at an early age and thought he could do anything and was not afraid to try anything," said Patrick.

Nassaney's parents said they'll miss everything about their son. They loved his sense of humor, his smile and his presence. "It's hard to put into words ... It's like a part of your soul gets amputated," said Patrick. "You know, like phantom pain as if a limb is gone. It's a spiritual amputation. It will never go away."

Do any of the parents feel airline security has iimproved since the terrorists attack? The Goodchilds are reluctant to say that airline security since Sept. 11 has improved. "I think they are trying," said Lynn. "I think it is a complex problem. Americans as a group are rather impatient and are looking for a quick fix and it is not going to happen that way."

The Nassaneys believe that it has improved, but not to the point that they feel safe. They feel the nation has become a little complacent.