‘Miracle On The Hudson’ Survivors Celebrate Anniversary Together: ‘We Have An Incredible Bond’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Former pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III and the passengers he famously saved by landing a commercial flight on the Hudson River in 2009 have reunited to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the event.
“There’s always this strong connection,” said passenger Pam Seagle of the relationship between Sully and herself. “And he is a hugger. He embraces everyone. We have an incredible bond.”
“We’re like extended family,” Sullenberger echoed. “We have become bonded and so I think over the passing years I feel evermore gratitude that we were able to achieve such a good outcome and save every life.”
On January 15, 2009, Sullenberger landed the plane he was piloting on the Hudson shortly after takeoff, due to engine failure after a flock of geese flew into the plane.
There were on lives lost and the event is now known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.”
“I certainly remember it vividly,” Sullenberger said. “It was a traumatic experience certainly for everyone in the airplane and for the families to go through something like that.”
The former pilot was so dedicated to saving every passenger that he went through the cabin twice to “make sure nobody was left behind.”
“Had even one person not survived, I would’ve considered it a tragic failure [that] I would’ve felt deeply for the rest of my life,” Sullenberger explained.
Sullenberger is no longer a pilot — he now works as an author, public speaker, and aviation expert who specializes in air safety. His story was told in Movieguide® Award-nominated movie, SULLY, starring Tom Hanks as Sully.
A portion of the Movieguide® review reads:
The movie SULLY takes this event and turns it into a tremendous insight into today’s politically correct battles. There are many references to miracles and some references to faith and prayer, but these aren’t the movie’s focus. SULLY stresses that the government can be wrong, the computers can be wrong, the engineers can be wrong, and that, ultimately, the man on the front lines has to determine the action. The acting in SULLY is terrific, and the music is wonderful, under Clint Eastwood’s super-professional directing. Caution is advised for older children because of some foul language and brief air-crash violence.
Sullenberger treasures the connections he has continued to have with the passengers he saved, as well as the impact the miraculous story has had on people over the years.
”This event happened during the 2008/2009 financial meltdown,” he explained. “At a time when we needed it, it gave us hope and reaffirmed our faith in humanity.”
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