38 years ago tonight........
Posted by Beverly Raposa on December 30, 2010, 12:29 am
As I write this I am remembering 38 years ago tonight -we were DOWN!I know many of you are remembering your loved ones who did not survive the crash. Their memory lives on in our hearts and our hearts reach out to you. I have just returned from Miami where Ron Infantino (a passenger who lost his bride of 20 days), Patricia McQuigg (a "stewardess" on 401) and myself, also a "stewardess" from 401, had dinner at the 84th Aerosquadron Restaurant in Miami. We were joined by survivors George and Kathy Gaudiello! They were in my group after the crash and I had not seen them since the night of the crash!! We later went to Ron's apartment and were joined by fellow "stewardess" Mercy Ruiz, whom George remembered getting up from her seat as we started the go around. It was quite an evening! We told them about the Flight 401 Tribute which we hope to dedicate 2 years from now. We are going to try to have it at the crash site. Our next step is to go before the South Florida Water Management Board to get permission. Should we not get it, the tribute will go into a land air museum. It will still be like walking alongside the plane windows and then entering into an area that is just like the Everglades that night. When you look up at the ceiling you will see the underbody of the L1011 and 101 stars around it, each with the name of a crew member or passenger that did not survive. There are only 4 or 5 of us working on this, so it has taken awile! There were other survivors and families of survivors who joined us in the beginning, but dropped out by the end of the first year becuase it was not happening fast enough and some believed we would never accomplish it. BUT I PROMISE EACH OF YOU THAT LOST A LOVED ONE THAT THE DREAM WILL BECOME A REALITY!!!!! Their lives were not lost in vain! All of us, including myself, fly safer because of what came about from 401..namely CRM, Crew Resource Management. This says that the Capt must designate someone to fly the plane while he works with the rest of the crew to resolve the problem. ALWAYS REMEMBER THE BLESSING OF 401....WE DID NOT KNOW WE WERE ABOUT TO CRASH. There was no fear....and for most...no suffering. I will always be grateful for that, especially when I think of my fellow "stewardess Stephani Stanich who did not survive and had no life threatening injuries. She drowned because she landed unconscious in 6 inches of water.So tonight just know that we reach out in a special bond to our fellow survivors and to the families of the victims. You are in our hearts forever! Sent with love on this night of the 38th anniversary of the crash of Eastern Airlines FLight 401 into the Florida Everglades. And Peter...THANK YOU for this wonderful site! Beverly Raposa and Ron, Patti and Mercy too!
|