Background
Grandcolas (née Catuzzi) was born on August 31, 1963, in Bloomington, Indiana.
Grandcolas (née Catuzzi) was born on August 31, 1963, in Bloomington, Indiana.
She attended Stratford High School in Houston, Texas and later the University of Texas at Austin where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi.
She worked for a law firm and for PricewaterhouseCoopers before becoming a marketing expert for Good Housekeeping. Grandcolas was also writing a book on self-help for women, covering finance and other topics. At the time of her death, a publisher was interested in her book
Three weeks prior to the, she left her job at Good Housekeeping in order to dedicate herself to the book
Her sisters worked together with the publisher, Chronicle Books, to get the book published after her death. The book, entitled You Can Do lieutenant!: The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown-Up Girls, was published on April 10, 2005.
lieutenant provides a guide, modeled on the Girl Scouts" merit badge system, covering skills, such as negotiations, and life goals, such as horseback riding, scuba diving, and completing a triathlon. Book excerpts have appeared in Parade, Glamour, Shape, Good Housekeeping, and other magazines.
Grandcolas"s sisters appeared on Good Morning America on April 19, 2005, to discuss the book
The proceeds from sales of the book go to the Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas Foundation, which contributes funds to a college scholarship program, and charitable organizations across the United States. Grandcolas was also involved with charitable organizations, including the United Way, March of Dimes, Project Open Hand, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Breast Cancer Awareness, and Glide Memorial. She was also a certified emergency medical technician.
She arrived early at the airport on September 11, 2001, allowing her to board United Airlines Flight 93, which was earlier than her originally scheduled flight.
Grandcolas, who was originally seated in seat 11D, called her husband from towards the rear of the aircraft in row 23. Grandcolas" father, Lawrence R. Catuzzi, served as co-chairman of the Flight 93 National Memorial task force, from 2002 to 2005.
At the National 9/11 Memorial, Grandcolas is memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel South-68, along with other passengers on Flight 93.