Last night I had the privilege to attend an event at our local high school where Captain "Sully" Sullenberger spoke. Just a reminder who he is...Sully is the pilot who successfully landed the airplane in the Hudson River in January 2009 after hitting a flock of geese just moments after take off. His testimony of what transpired that day was truly amazing and I was awed by his humility and integrity. From the time the flock of geese was hit and downed the engines, there were only 208 seconds...about three and a half minutes...before the plane plunged into the icy river. Quick reflexes and preparedness were essential in order to preserve the lives of all 155 people on board.
Sully is from Danville, the town next door, so not only is he an international hero, he is a local hero in the purest sense. His daughters attend the high school where he spoke last night. I recently finished reading his book, Highest Duty, and although I can't say there were many "laughable" parts to his story, I literally laughed out loud when I read that he chose to give his first print interview NOT to The New York Times, NOT to The Wall Street Journal, NOT to The Washington Herald ...but to the Dougherty Valley High School student newspaper! As a former reporter for my high school newspaper I love the thought that a 16 year old kid scooped some of the top journalists in the nation. Ha!
The story of flight 1549 was incredible, but I enjoyed hearing about his life prior to being thrust into the spotlight. From a very early age he was incredibly driven and disciplined, a deep thinker and a goal seeker. The crux of his message last night was that every person should do what they do with their all and be prepared for the best and the worst in life. He is an advocate of lifelong learning and sharpening your skills continually...and I like that! He stated very clearly that, to him, education is of utmost importance and then applying what you've learned with precision. There were quite a few high schoolers in the room and I really hope they heard his message and took it to heart.
At the end of his talk there was time allotted for Q&A and I was chosen to ask him a question. I asked what his emotions were when he got back into the cockpit again for the first time after Flight 1549. I assumed he'd have some hesitation or nervousness at best, and downright fear at worst, considering what he had been through, but he said "It was just like coming home." He was born to be a pilot and basically "dusted off his wings" and went back to what he loved and excelled at. Inspiring!
If you want to know more about the "Miracle on the Hudson" and how an oridanry man did an extraordinary thing Captain Sully's book is a must read!
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