On 13 January 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 taking off from Washington, DC, crashed into the Potomac River. It was winter and the river was full of ice. The crash happened near a bridge going over the river. The TV cameras could see everything. Millions of viewers, sitting in their living rooms, watched as a helicopter overhead let down a life-belt on a line to a man struggling in the water. He grabbed the line, swam to another survivor just by him, clipped the woman in and they hoisted her up to safety. The helicopter let the line back down again, and again the man did the same thing. He swam to someone else, and rescued them. He saved five people, before finally, exhausted, he himself drowned.
Why did this man not save himself? The answer is that he was out to save others.
Nicky Gumbels – UK Vicar, Alpha Course (1955- )