Nicole Miller

Nicole Miller, 21, a sophomore on the dean’s list at West Valley College in Saratoga, Calif., was working her way through school as a waitress. She had been mulling over some decisions: whether to major in business or communications, whether to transfer to Chico State or San Jose State universities.

An outdoor and exercise enthusiast, Miller had played softball at Pioneer High School in San Jose. Later she taught body-sculpting classes for workers at IBM.

“She was beautiful, like model beautiful,” said her sister Tiffney, 23. “She had this reddish-brown hair and warm eyes and this beautiful smile and dimples.” The sisters were almost inseparable, working at the same place, attending the same school. “We were always looking out for each other.”

The daughter of a retired Xerox field engineer and a dental secretary, who had divorced and remarried, Miller had a large blended family, her sister said, which included a stepmother, a stepfather, four brothers and two sisters.

Miller’s boyfriend, Ryan Brown, was her high school sweetheart. She had flown to New York last week to join him on his visit with relatives after he had called and said he missed her. When it was time to fly home, Miller tried to get a ticket on her boyfriend’s return flight but couldn’t. His flight ended up being rerouted to Canada.

At the gate to Flight 93, they kissed goodbye.