Hey Kids it’s dad, and for today’s TommyLog I want to talk to you about an amazing movie I saw over the weekend. Saturday night I took my sweetheart on a hot date and we went to see the movie Sully starring Tom Hanks. Tom Hanks did an amazing job and if he doesn’t win an Academy award for that performance, then the whole system is rigged. Clint Eastwood did a masterful job directing that movie. But you know, this isn’t a movie review. Just some thoughts I had on the movie.
Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger was an amazing human being. Throughout the entire process he had one purpose and one purpose in mind. To lift up the people around him. He was the last person to leave the plane when it hit the Hudson. He made sure every seat was empty and that every passenger was accounted for. He said many times “what’s the number” “What’s the number.”
When he got on the plane he needed to know how many passengers were on the plane. When he got off the plane he wanted to know that they were all accounted for. Because of the nature of the rescue in the fact that some rescuers came from the New Jersey side some came from the New York side he didn’t know how many passengers were accounted for. This was so important to him.
Throughout the interviews and throughout the NTSB investigation, one point was clear. It wasn’t about him. It was about his crew and it was about the rescue workers. What a truely amazing story.
For Captain Sullenberger his number was 155. For me my number is five. My five children who I love so much. Madeline, Clara, Tommy, Emma, & Drew. I love you dearly.
Whats your number and whats important to you?