Jeffrey Collman

Under normal circumstances, Jeffrey Collman would not have been onJeffrey Collman American Airlines Flight 11.

Collman, a 41-year-old flight attendant who had worked for American for three years, usually flew the Boston-to-San Francisco route. But this month he switched to the Boston-to-Los Angeles route so he could accommodate vacation plans.

A week ago, the Novato resident was aboard Flight 11 as it crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers, killing everyone aboard.

Collman had called his partner, Keith Bradkowski, the night before to say he was excited about their upcoming vacation.

Collman, who grew up in Yorkville, Ill., had lived in Novato for four years.

He received the American Professional Flight Attendant Award in 1999 and was considered a spirited and dedicated flight attendant. He liked to entertain children on his flights, and he was fond of playing tennis and traveling, friends said.

He leaves behind four brothers and a sister.

Jeffrey Collman, 41, of Novato, Calif., was a flight attendant. His partner, Keith Bradkowski, said Collman was courageous and safety-conscious. "He was so focused on safety," Bradkowski said. "If there was a threat, he would have done anything in his power to prevent it." He didn't normally work the Boston-to-Los Angeles route but made an exception to get some vacation time at the end of the month. Collman, an avid tennis player, grew up in Yorkville, Ill., and left behind four brothers and a sister.