The Editor,
The reason I'm writing is to tell you that the plane crash happened right in front of my car on my way home from work.
I saw the terrifying image of a small plane flying right above Russ Baker Way, clearly about to crash.
And I was right in the path of it, about to drive right into the black smoke and flames.
I managed to veer right and make it over to the shoulder of the road and call 911, all the while crying, shaking and hyperventilating.
My car stank of gas fumes from the crash. I somehow drove to the Delta Airport Hotel, parked and went inside to calm down.
What I want to do through this letter is to thank the many incredibly caring people who helped me when I got to the hotel.
I was in shock and deeply upset, still crying, hyperventilating and shaking. The staff of the hotel - in particular Dan, Jose and the front desk clerk - were so kind to me.
They brought me water and Kleenex and stayed close by. Another man named John, who is one of the flight crew for KLM, stayed with me for about an hour and a half, held my hand, and helped me try and calm down, while I waited for my husband and brother-in-law to come and get me.
He was so exceptionally kind and caring, I couldn't possibly know how to thank him and the others enough.
Dan, who works at the hotel, must have been
concerned about me because he called the fire department, ambulance and RCMP to come and talk to me.
The firemen asked me some questions about what I saw and talked to me for awhile. More crying.
Then the ambulance guys, who were so empathetic and caring, took my vital signs and tried to calm me down, since I was still in shock. More uncontrollable crying.
Then the RCMP officer took my witness statement. When everyone was gone, Dan came by and quietly handed me a room key and told me that the hotel was giving me a room for the night, on them.
More tears, both because I was so touched by their kindness, and because I was, and still am, processing this horrific accident, which happened five feet from my car.
I will never know how to thank these people adequately, so all I can say is God bless you all. And God bless those who ran to the crash site and got the passengers and crew out, never thinking of the danger to themselves.
The world is full of good people and I'm blessed to have been helped by them.
Shelley Civkin
Richmond
