• Rubi Reyes •
• Originally published January 18, 2009 at 11:11 p.m., updated January 18, 2009 at 11:11 p.m.

Last week, we all witnessed a spectacular event unfold on the major TV networks: A US Airways jetliner crashed Thursday afternoon into the freezing Hudson River. All of us were amazed and thankful for the outcome; it was a bit of good news among lots of not-so-good reports.

Flight 1549 had taken off from La Guardia Airport In New York City and unfortunately encountered something - the unlikely cause of the plane going down was a flock of birds that fouled the engines on the craft. The pilot had no power to return to a nearby landing field.

Yet all 155 people aboard the craft were saved thanks to the quick thinking of the pilot, Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III, who calmly assessed the situation and decided the safest thing to do was set down in the Hudson River.

We must recognize all the rescue personnel for their quick action, as well. Seems they were ready ... ever ready.

The crash could have been much different. The plane could have plowed into Manhattan skyscrapers killing numerous people on the ground as well as the people aboard.

In a time we all feel the woes of a failing economy, the pain of wars in the Middle East, the inevitable high cost of energy, the difficult problem of health care, the soaring cost of education and a myriad of other sad news, all of us needed to have some good news.

Thanks to Sully, we got a taste of what it's like to feel good inside. And this example of coolheadedness may be the ticket for years to come. Let's pray it's so; we need a miracle in America.

This editorial reflects the views of the Victoria Advocate's editorial board.

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