The Ability to Comfort

“...who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” II Corinthians 1:4

Al Haynes was the pilot of United Airlines Flight 232 when it made a crash landing in Sioux City, Iowa on July 19, 1989. The aircraft lost an engine and its hydraulic system so it was deemed miraculous that the plane was able to land at all. Of the 296 people aboard, 184 survived.

Many attribute Haynes’ calm leadership for the prevention of a total loss. In 2004, Al Haynes was once again facing serious adversity. His daughter, Laurie Arguello, was in need of a bone marrow transplant and he was raising $256,000 needed for the procedure and subsequent care.

When his letter of appeal went out, contributions started pouring in. Survivors of that fated flight responded with a rather interesting perspective. They noted their desire to help was not based upon what Haynes did to help save their lives, but because of the support he provided since the tragedy.

Jerry Schemmel, a radio announcer for the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, noted, “I’ve become more impressed with the man that he has become since the crash than the man he was in the cockpit that day.”

The beauty of adversity is that we can indeed become better because of the pain we’ve experienced.