JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Ten years ago, a flight bound for Charlotte, North Carolina ended up in the Hudson River in New York. Many survivors still live in that area.
Before coming to Action News Jax anchor Tenikka Hughes was an anchor and reporter at our sister station WSOC-TV in Charlotte.
Hughes talked to a survivor five years ago and again by phone Saturday about the mental journey ahead for the passengers who escaped tragedy Friday night.
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News of a 737 skidding off a runway and into the St. Johns River in Jacksonville spread fast.
Ben Bostic said, "When I first heard about it, obviously, it brought back flashbacks of my own experience, and I was really grateful to hear the outcome that everybody survived."
Bostic was one of the 155 people who survived after U.S. Airways Flight 1549 splash-landed in the frigid Hudson River in New York.
The plane went down on Jan. 15, 2009, after it struck a flock of geese and lost engine power.
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Hughes spoke to Bostic in Charlotte on the fifth anniversary of the "Miracle on the Hudson."
At that time, he said, "Just so many little things could have been different and it wouldn't have had the outcome it had."
Bostic added, "That's the miraculous thing about it for me, seeing all the little pieces that had to be in place for that to happen."
After the miracle on the St. Johns River on Friday night, Hughes reached out to Bostic, who is thankful everyone made it out with no major injuries. But he is fully aware of the emotional toll this experience will have on the passengers and crew.
Bostic said: "You have a before and after. Before, everything's filed away neatly in place like a filing cabinet, and then, like, somebody comes along and just dumps it all out on the floor. You got a huge pile. You got to sort it out again."
Bostic said it's been an ongoing process, but he's been able to find a new normal by reaching out for help. "It's like what Sully (Capt. Chesley Sullenberger) was told: that he didn't just save 155 lives, he saved 155 worlds. So it affects more people, including their families and the people around them. It’s going to affect them, too. And my advice would be to definitely reach out and talk to somebody even if you don't think you need to."
Bostic said it is hard to believe it's been 10 years since the Miracle on the Hudson and that he will never forget that day.
Bostic also said that if anyone from the Miami Air flight needs someone to talk to, he is here for them.
If you are a passenger or crew member and would like to talk to Flight 1549 survivor Ben Bostic, email THughes@actionnewsjax.com and Hughes will connect you privately.
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