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Plane crash survivors, rescuers meet for first time in 40 years |
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Written by Publisher
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Thursday, 09 July 2009 |
Photo by Mary Sirianni
Survivors Kristen King (right) comforts Susan White as she describes her rescue from the crash.
By Mary Sirianni
Special to The Kane Republican
A heavily wooded area three miles from the Bradford Regional airport brought back memories for Kristen King, who is originally from Camp Hill.
Driving down the narrow dirt road, walking down a steep hill and through a wooded area brought back the sensations of her first time there.
“When I saw the trees that the plane hit on its way down, I started to feel the shaking of the plane again, like we’d been shot out of a rocket," King said.
Survivors and area residents who worked at the scene came together for the first time since the crash on Christmas Eve 1968.
After visiting the crash site Tuesday morning, they returned to the airport to discuss their experiences. It was the first time they had gathered in the 40 years since the crash.
At around 8 p.m., Allegheny Airlines Flight 736 crashed 3.5 miles from the airport, killing 20 of the 47 passengers. The plane landed on its roof, coming to rest in an open field near a swamp. The passengers, buckled into their seats, were suspended upside down until rescue workers arrived.
“There were a lot of people responsible for saving people that night,” said Dr. Bruno Sicher. “It is great to know that, 40 years later, some of the people that were dug out of there are still around.”
This gathering was also the first time he met King, whom he helped remove from the plane wreckage. King told The Kane Republican in December that Sicher is “a very brave man [and] my hero.”
Sicher, the only doctor at the crash scene, said he was happy to finally meet King and know she was doing well.
Another survivor, Susan (Wiand) White, of Erie, expressed her tearful thanks to the rescuers for “giving up their Christmas” to work at the scene.
White said the rescue workers and Bradford doctors were kind and compassionate during her recovery. She would “always have a soft spot in my heart” for the people of the area.
Others at the event recalled rescue efforts after the crash. Most arrived at the scene because they had the snowmobiles needed to navigate the snow-covered terrain and transport injured passengers from the wreckage. Emergency medical services and EMTs were not available at that time.
The rescuers also remembered the large fires built out of parts of the plane to keep warm in the frigid weather. Others talked about chopping through the wall of the plane with an ax for two hours to remove those trapped inside.
The group also discussed creating a memorial at the airport to honor the rescuers, survivors and victims. King said creating such a monument would recognize both the tragedy’s impact on the community and encourage its healing.
King, who has been researching the crash and creating a list of rescuers and survivors since 2003, said she hopes the memorial will be completed by July 2010.
The group chatted and enjoyed lunch together after the formal presentations ended. Despite the trauma they experienced in 1968, the gathering quickly took on the warm atmosphere of a family reunion or reunion of lifelong friends.
King said the intertwining of their lives 40 years ago created their close bond.
“I can’t explain the shared experiences we’ve had. But these people are my family now," King said.”
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 30 July 2009 )
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