Few people would have done this.
January
13, 1982 was the day when an Air Florida plane crashed into the frozen
Potomac River on the edge of Washington D.C. The water was 31 degrees
F., one degree below freezing. Massive ice flows and slushy water
paralyzed most of the passengers, resulting in a loss of 74 passenger
lives. Four other people on the overhanging bridge also were killed.
Six people were still alive and clinging to the tail section of the plane, the only part above water.
Six people, but only five were rescued. One man, Arland D. Williams, Jr., age 46, did not survive.
Why
not? Each time the life line with a float was lowered, Mr. Williams
passed the ring onto someone else. He swam to one woman whose arms
could no longer hold onto the ring and secured her in the device.
Five
times Arland Williams, Jr., passed the ring to other passengers,
helping them to be pulled to safety. When the ring was lowered a sixth
time, Mr. Williams had disappeared into the icy water.
Crash on the Potomac, 1982
He was the man who went back.
My brother was born January 13, 1951. This date always sends me searching for Jan. 13.
This is a re-post of 2013.
