Miracles on the Hudson

Kudos to the pilots and flight attendants on the US Airways flight that crashed into the Hudson River yesterday. I'm shocked there isn't more video or still photography of the event. In the world of cell phone cameras, how did someone not capture something?! I'm sure you have all seen the news channels playing, and re-playing footage of various past dramatic water ditches, most of which had fatal endings... Thankfully, the Captain showed amazing courage and skill, landing safely in that frigid water.

As much as I love my job as a flight attendant, incidents like this remind me how quickly a routine flight can turn for the worse. I am so grateful that my own "incident" last year ended safely as well. A blown tire on takeoff doesn't usually end fatally, but after we landed, and realized that our tire had punctured our wing and engine, my gratitude for our safety was suddenly catapulted to a whole new level. Things could have been so very different.....

I am also so grateful that we were flying at a low enough altitude for three hours (to burn off fuel), that I was able to send out a brief text message my family. As soon as I realized that my cell phone had service while in the air, I felt immediately impressed to let them know of the situation we were facing, and to ask for extra prayers in our behalf, even though I knew it would put them into a panic. I rationalized that if something tragic did happen, I would rather have been in communication with them before hand, even via text.

I didn't know at the time, but my whole family immediately sent out mass texts to family and friends with the urgent request for prayers for our safe landing. Every 20 minutes I would check back in with my family and give any new updates. Waiting for my call must have been excruciating, as they didn't know if the flight status was progressing in a positive or negative way in the meantime.

It's hard to explain the sense of peace I had throughout the three hours. Immediately after hearing from my family that they were stopped in their tracks, and fervently praying for our safe landing, I had such a strong impression that everything would be OK, no matter the flight's outcome.

Now, I by no means want to compare my experience with that of yesterday's events. Theirs was much more traumatic and dramatic. However, I can assure you that prayers were being said with equal urgency and humble hearts in both situations!

Miracles like the Hudson River crash, make the safety training I completed last week in San Francisco seem a little more pertinent, necessary and completely worth my time and effort!!

However, for all you nervous fliers out there.... Remember, flying is still statistically the safest way to travel!! :)

Here is a video I took after we landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, complete with the fire fighter rescue team welcoming committee!