Everyone by now has heard about US Air Flight 1549 and how it had to make a necessary "ditch" landing in the Hudson River after both engines were taken out by a flock of geese. I now, officially, despise those Canadian geese.
A dear friend, a mentor of mine, was on the flight. I had a call with her that morning to discuss some business-related issues and she noted she was going to be flying home that afternoon around 2pm or so. When my husband called to tell me the news, I was picking my son up from preschool and it just didn't register immediately that the flight was heading to Charlotte. When it hit me, I freaked out.
Photo: J. Krums
Photo: APAfter getting home and seeing these visuals, and waiting for them to confirm that all we off the plane and there were no life-threatening injuries, I seemed to calm down. However, when I recognized her in the NY Post the next morning - I burst into tears.
I'm not going to expose her in a picture, because she deserves her privacy and to handle this event in the way that she needs to. She's gotten enough exposure from the general media at this point.
All I know is that I am eternally grateful to the pilot, the crew, everyone who rallied together both on and off the plane, and most of all, to her, for having the sense of knowing how important every life was on board.
I finally spoke with her this morning, and she sounded great - good perspective, her sense of humor was intact, and ready to head home on a flight soon. She loves travel and this "type of thing" is hardly going to stop her, or as she put it, "it's not going to make me live a type of life I don't want to lead." She is an inspiration.
I love her and I feel so lucky to still have her in my life.
1 comment:
If only you had known - I am positive you would have thrown your friend a life vest and a buoy! SOS!
I have always loved happy endings.
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