Surviving the Miracle on the Hudson: A Journey of Healing and Soaring
15 years later, the aftermath of the Miracle on the Hudson still lingers While some battle with PTSD, others found solace in conquering their fears and soaring high A captivating tale of resilience and the enduring impact of a remarkable event
Don't miss The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper: Miracle on the Hudson airing tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
As Vallie Collins texted her husband that her flight was going down, all the moments she hadn't yet lived flashed before her eyes.
Watching her youngest son hit his first homerun, organizing her kids' birthday parties, and beaming with pride as the mother of the bride, she reflected on her role as a mother of three. "I'm not a perfect mother, but I'm their mother," she said. "And the thought of not being able to see them grow up was incredibly difficult."
Collins found himself in seat 26D on US Airways Flight 1549, which famously crashed into the Hudson River in New York 15 years ago this month. It was a miraculous landing that resulted in all 155 people onboard surviving, and it gave many a new lease on life. Aviation experts hailed the maneuver as the most successful ditching of an aircraft of all time, propelling Capt. C.B. "Sully" Sullenberger to hero status and later movie fame in the film "Sully."
Ric Elias
CNN
Ric Elias sat in the front row of the plane that day, realizing all the things he no longer valued: money, achievements, and trips. He also thought about not being there to support his family.
Meanwhile, in seat 1C, Barry Leonard couldn't stop thinking about his family - his wife, kids, and mother. "I didn't do anything," he said quietly, without screaming.
As the plane descended, the absence of engine noise caught the attention of some passengers. Many were consumed by thoughts of fear and mortality. Sullenberger and several others spoke with CNN's Anderson Cooper for a special segment commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Miracle on the Hudson. They shared how the event had forever altered their lives, both positively and negatively.
This is the captain. Brace for impact
Departing from New York's LaGuardia Airport, Sullenberger recalled his surprise as a group of Canada geese, boasting wingspans of up to six feet, collided with the aircraft, causing both engines to fail.
The veteran pilot made a quick announcement to the cabin alerting them to an emergency landing.
"This is the captain. Brace for impact," Sullenberger said he remembered telling the cabin.
The flight attendants at the front of the plane started shouting their instructions to the passengers in unison: "Brace, brace, brace. Heads down. Stay down." This mantra continued repeatedly. Meanwhile, as panic spread through the cabin, Sullenberger communicated with air traffic control to assess his landing options. He soon concluded that returning to LaGuardia was not a feasible option, as heard in the air traffic control recordings. Additionally, he ruled out Teterboro and Newark airports in nearby New Jersey.
Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger
CNN
They were going to land in the Hudson River, he told air traffic control.
The plane hit the birds and 208 seconds later, Sullenberger and First Officer Jeff Skiles successfully maneuvered and landed the plane on the Hudson River.
Passenger Leonard described the experience as "a pretty big jolt," and mentioned, "I guess my knee hit my sternum because my sternum cracked."
The plane shook in the rough and violent landing, Collins remembered.
"When we seemingly stopped, I looked up and I thought, Im in one piece. This plane is in one piece."
Upon landing, the passengers' relief was brief as they were directed to exit the aircraft from the wings, facing a new challenge. "The water just came rushing in," Collins recalled, "That was my scariest moment. I thought, Lord, please do not let me drown. It was so cold."
It was 20 degrees that afternoon. Leonard unbuckled his seat belt, took off his shoes and jumped into the icy-cold river.
Barry Leonard
CNN
"I turned around and saw people walking on water," he said. "I briefly thought I had died. It wasn't until I started swimming back that I realized people were on the wing, and I was still alive." The captain carefully checked each row of the plane twice to ensure all passengers were accounted for. "I was so stressed that I couldn't even believe what I was seeing and hearing," Sullenberger told CNN. The plane was still filling with water, and a flight attendant screamed that everyone needed to evacuate.
Amazingly, all 155 people on board survived.
Some passengers embraced change, others felt lost
There is a distinct before and after the landing on the Hudson, the moment that forever changed the lives of the people onboard the flight.
Clay Presley, who was seated in 15D during the harrowing landing, shared that he still struggles with extreme claustrophobia. "Even now, I can't be in tight spaces unless I feel I have a clear and easy way out," Presley told CNN.
Clay Presley
CNN
While Presley said he experienced PTSD in the wake of the emergency landing, he decided to take his fear of flying and own it. The former businessman learned to fly.
The bravery of Sullenberger and the first responders on that day motivated him to pursue a career as a pilot, he revealed. Presley now pilots small aircraft, with his own plane bearing the tail number 1549H in honor of US Airways Flight 1549.
According to psychologists such as Sonja Lyubomirsky, individuals react to traumatic events in varying ways. While some may struggle and remain in a low state, others may face depression and then demonstrate resilience by bouncing back, she explained.
Lyubomirsky, a psychology professor and happiness expert at the University of California, Riverside, noted that some individuals may return to a higher baseline than where they began. Passenger Pam Seagle, seated in 12A, revealed that her near-death experience motivated her to re-evaluate her life and implement significant changes.
In 2009, she held a high-ranking position in marketing and came to the realization that she needed to prioritize being there for her two teenage children and husband. Consequently, she approached her employer to transition into a different role, in pursuit of greater satisfaction.
Pam Seagle
CNN
Seagle expressed, "There is simply not enough support for women's rights and economic empowerment, and we are striving to change that." Currently, she is working on developing programs to promote economic empowerment for women.
According to Richard Tedeschi, a researcher and psychologist with over 40 years of experience, experiencing growth after trauma is a common occurrence, but each individual's journey is unique.
"Tedeschi revealed that many of them have expressed how the events they experienced have altered the course of their lives. Perhaps it has exposed them to new possibilities they had never before considered for themselves."
However, for some passengers like Collins, the positive changes were not as clear.
She recalled feeling completely unlike her usual self a month later. "I was consumed by sadness and felt unable to handle everything," she explained. Collins likened her usual spirited and optimistic self to Tigger from "Winnie the Pooh," but at that time, she felt more like Eeyore, the gloomy and despondent donkey.
Vallie Collins
CNN
"I was part of one of the greatest acts in aviation history and walked off of it without a scratch on me," she said. "Like, what is wrong with you? Like, snap out of it! You felt so ungrateful."
Collins stated that she feels certain aspects of her life have improved since that day - she has become more engaged with her church and community, and has taken on roles serving on nonprofit boards. However, she acknowledges that she will never be the same person who boarded that flight, she asserted.
The power of a feel-good story
During a time of economic uncertainty and hardship, the Miracle on the Hudson landing provided a much-needed moment of inspiration. Americans were captivated by the remarkable feat and the bravery of the crew and first responders involved.
"Following the incident," stated New York Gov. David Paterson, "we have a heroic pilot. We witnessed a miracle on 34th Street, and now we have a miracle on the Hudson."
The media attention surrounding Sullenberger resulted in a swarm of generators and reporters outside his family's residence, as recalled by his wife, Lorrie Sullenberger. But it also brought something more.
A handwritten note was printed on the family's fax machine, bearing the message: "America needed a win. Thank you," the fax, which was unsigned, conveyed.
The influx of mail from people worldwide was so abundant that postal workers had to transport it in bins, according to Lorrie Sullenberger. However, one particular letter remains memorable.
"In the last year, I had lost my father to cancer. I lost my job and then my home. I had lost my faith. You, sir, gave it back," Sullinbergers wife said the letter read.
A crowd gathers to honor US Airways pilot C.B. Sullenberger at a celebration in his honor January 24, 2009, in Danville, California.
David Paul Morris/Getty Images
Sullenberger's ordeal has led him to reflect on the unseen acts of everyday people.
"It's a reminder of the countless individuals out there who are not corrupt, but rather courageous and compassionate. They are constantly doing important and compassionate things; we just don't know who they all are," he said.
"They havent been publicly noticed as we were. But thats a potential that each of us has."
