Definition: Hero

I was just going to give this guy Kudos on my side-bar, but the more I heard, the more I was blown away by "Sully" Sullenberger (the III, no less).

By now, you may be bloated with the news. Yeah? C'mon. Just have one more bite. It seems Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III truly earned his real-deal-hero's wings this afternoon by landing a plane in the Hudson River. And, he didn't lose a single soul whilst doing so.

The short version: Sullenberger's plane took off from New York en route to Charlotte, North Caroline, and minutes later clashed with a flock of geese. The geese lost, but took out BOTH engines of the plane as they went down. A disaster movie in the making? Yes, but angels in the vicinity relaxed their wings, because pilot Sullenberger rode the helm. He, with 40 years of experience, including fighter jet pilot, Safety Chair of the pilot's union, and crash inspector. Definition: providence.

After considering a return to La Guardia, as well as a Jersey airport, Sullenberger determined that the safest solution involved ditching the jumbo jet into the river. The HUDSON RIVER. So, he did. Without crashing, without flipping, without careening into the passing concrete landscape. One passenger described a gentle glide into the water with a hard jolt at the end. The flight attendants remained cool, calm, and focused on keeping everyone else in the same frame of mind.

The damage? A water-logged airliner, and one passenger sustaining two broken legs. Period. No souls lost.

And, before the plane settled into the icy waters, random boats and ferries raced to it's side to aid in the evacuation. The Coast Guard, the New York Fire Department, and NYPD divers quickly joined the effort, and the passengers were brought to safety in 90 SECONDS. Though I've said it before, it bears repeating: There is a special place in heaven for those who runs TOWARD danger to save lives.

One more thing: Pilot Sullenberger was the last man off the plane. Before he disembarked, he walked the aisles TWICE to ensure that all passengers were safely evacuated. A water landing that experts have labeled "miraculous" with palpable awe in their voices, coupled with a genuine, demonstrated concern for his passengers. There's something to be said for a man who knows his shite, and is equipped to use it. If he doesn't have chest hair, it's because it doesn't grow on steel.