Today I read the article "Man in the Water" with my students. Since we are reading Night, I wanted them to see a positive side of humanity before dwelling too long on the sadness created and darkness of man displayed during the Holocaust. This article, written by Rosenblatt, recounts the 1982 plane crash of Flight 90 into the icy Potomac River near Washington, D.C. An anonymous man in the water, a passenger of the plane, repeatedly handed the life saver dangling from a rescue helicopter to the other passengers still floating in the water around him; when the plane returned for him, he was nowhere to be seen. Only five people survived. He selflessly sacrificed his life for others and made an indelible imprint on those who knew his story, showing the best of what humanity is capable.
Ironic, then, that tonight I run into a parent who informs me that today another plane crash landed onto the Hudson River in New York. I'm thankful that this time no one was lost.
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