Archive for survival
It was July 25, 1956. Elizabeth Hanson, six months pregnant, was returning to the U.S. with her three young children after her husband’s Fulbright professorship in Italy. He had flown ahead to retrieve the family car while they came across the Atlantic on a fine liner, the Andrea Doria. Here is an excerpt from the story as Elizabeth wrote it.
Andy (12), Ardith (7) and I woke up when the Stockholm plowed into the side of their ship, just a few cabins forward from our cabin as we later learned. The sensation was what one might feel sitting in a row boat as it bumped several times against a dock. Andy instinctively slammed shut the porthole cover beside him, as he saw lights flash by. We were instantly aware that our cabin floor was tilting. My mind was sort of blank. I just knew that something very serious was wrong. I went to the row of four metal lockers, in the bottom of which the life jackets were stowed, and I yank them out, one after the other, throwing them on the floor and noting with alarm that they slid across the tilted floor toward the outer wall, as I did so.
Our steward was in the hall, calling “Signore, signori, andate fuori! Signore, signori, andate su!” Essentially, “Ladies and gentlemen, come out of your cabins and go up on deck.” There seemed to be a smoky haze in the hall. (I believe now that it was exhaust from an engine that must have ruptured by the Stockholm). All I wanted to do was to get my kids and myself above deck. It didn’t occur to me to get dressed, although and he had the presence of mind to slip on his shorts. I put Ardith’s life jacket on her over her slip, but I forgot to tie it. I sent her and Andy out in the hall to go above deck. Then, I had to awaken Donnie (10). A sound sleeper, he had slept through it all! I had to urge and urge him to come right away. I got his life jacket on him, but he was conservative and wanted to get dressed.
In retrospect, there would have been plenty of time for him to address. But all I knew then, the ship could sync with us trapped below deck. I urged him, “You have to come now. Your life may depend on it.”
Filed under: Andrea Doria, Serving Our Seas, Survivor Stories | ocean survival, shipwrecks, Stockholm, survival, surviving families|No Comments
1706 people almost died suddenly as our Italian luxury liner, Andrea Doria, was penetrated by the Swedish liner, Stockholm. My grandparents and I were immigrating to America (from Italy) as we experienced the most catastrophic collision in history during peacetime on July 25, 1956. There were 51 fatalities and hundreds of injured passengers as many were crushed, thrown, overwhelmed by fumes, or catapulted onto the Stockholm.
The most traumatic moments are indelible from my mind: the loud crash, praying for a merciful death, being dangled over the dark Atlantic with a rope around my waist, the packed lifeboat ride from hell, climbing a ’skyscraper’ rescue ship on a Jacob’s ladder, and more.
I have learned that on the other side of tragedy, there is always a lifeline–gratitude! The catastrophe gave me the opportunity to be grateful for:
*documenting the human and scientific facts in a book, “Alive on the Andrea Doria! The Greatest Sea Rescue in History. www.pierettesimpson.com
*thanking my grandparents for bringing me to America by dedicating my book to them
*vindicating our captain, crew, and the Italian maritime industry
*becoming a proponent of safety at sea along with the national chairman of marine forensics (James Cameron’s consultant)
My view of life is that we have two choices when faced with survival: sink or swin. I’ve been swimming to safe harbors in spite of several major trials–my husband’s passing at 33, severance from family ties in Italy and the U.S., loneliness, and personal illness. I’m grateful for all of these experiences as they have made me stronger.
I’ve learned to live my life to the brim: writing, speaking, advocating marine safety, etc. (after 37 years of teaching.) As a result, I’ve been honored with many life-achievement awards. I’ve also learned that in order to survive, we must constantly adapt—even if it means re-inventing ourselves.
I believe in the wisdom of Charles Darwin: in order to survive we must be “most responsive to change.”
Filed under: Andrea Doria, Survivor Stories | andrea doria, change, collisions on the Atlantic, gratitude, shipwreck fatalities, shipwrecks, Stockholm, survival|No Comments
Challenges are simply opportunities to be all we can be. They are also great lessons in survival. I have always maintained that humans who are pampered — hence unchallenged– lose their ambition and skill to survive. So, I totally concur with Mr. Ullman that challenge IS the core and mainspring of all human activity.
Quote:
“Challenge is the core and the mainspring of all human activity. If there’s an ocean, we cross it; if there’s a disease, we cure it; if there’s a wrong, we right it; if there’s a record, we break it; and finally, if there’s a mountain, we climb it.”
~James Ramesy Ullman
We must be thankful for situations and circumstances that challenge and stretch us. We must see these as opportunities to discover what we are made of; to test how far we can grow.
Without growing we atrophy, and atrophy is the opposite of survival.
Filed under: Survivor Stories | Challenges, James Ramsay Ullman, survival|No Comments
What I know for sure is that there is no strength without challenge, adversity, resistance and often pain. The problems that make you want to throw up your hands and holler “Mercy!” will build your tenacity, courage, discipline and determination. Strength comes from our ability to stand up, face resistance, and walk through it.
As you walk into what you fear, know that you already have the enduring power you’re asking for—then say “Thank you,” because you understand your deepest struggle will produce your greatest strength. —-Oprah
Filed under: Survivor Stories | adversity, inner strenght, Oprah, survival|No Comments
As I watched Larry King Live on February 11, US Airways flight 1549 survivors repeated these three words: strength, training, teamwork. Both the crew and the passengers used them to describe what made the landing and the rescue miraculous successes.
Captain Sullenberger and copilot Jeffrey Skiles used every bit of their inner strength and training to use the Hudson River as runway of survival. Their efforts have been called “the most successful water landing in aviation history.” Moreover, they were part of the team that aided in the rescue; Captain ‘Sully’ was the last to evacuate his plane, but not until he had made two surveillance walks down the aisle, checking for passengers. All the while, the plane was sinking.
Copilot Skiles also aided in the rescue, giving the shirt off his back to a trembling passenger who had jumped into the frigid waters and then boarded a raft. Both he and Captain Sully retrieved life vests that the passengers had left behind and offered them to passengers without one as they hurriedly exited.
The three flight attendants efficiently, professionally, and bravely aided every passenger by helping them exit and board the life rafts. One of them was severely wounded and in pain. The first responders of New York City also displayed remarkable efficiency, strength training and teamwork.
The U. S. Airways rescue is a vivid reminder of teamwork carried out on the Andrea Doria. The Captain, the crew, and passengers of every class became both rescues and survivors. The crewmembers I interviewed refused to be called heroes; they claimed that they simply get their duty. The rescue vessels that rushed to our inclined liner also responded with a sense of duty.
I echo President Obama’s comment about the US Airways rescue: “wouldn’t it be great if everybody just did their duty?”—and did it with good conscience, I might add.
Filed under: Andrea Doria, Serving Our Seas, Survivor Stories, Uncategorized | Captain Sullenberger, miracle on the Hudson, survival, US Airways flight 1549|No Comments
Welcome, Benvenuti, Bienvenue, Bienvenidos, Willkommen, Aloha, Kalōs orisate to my blog, as we voyage on local, national, and international waters.
Since my topic is so vast, deciding what to call my blog has been a challenge; after all, I’m a shipwreck survivor—specifically the Andrea Doria. Shouldn’t I call it “Survival on Our Seas” or “Safety on Our Seas”? After doing a google search about the seas, I realized the subject is far too fascinating to limit my content to personal survival and safety. After all, there is sailing, swimming, surfing, surveying, ships, shipwrecks—all “s” words for the acronym SOS. There is also ecology, geography, geology, biology, climate, preservation, and oceans of research to consider.
Finally, I asked myself: what is my objective? The answer was as crystal clear as the Caribbean—to serve our seas. Therefore, you can expect to read and comment on any of the above topics. I even invite you to discuss lakes, streams, waterfalls, canals, and more. By surviving a catastrophe on the Atlantic, I’ve earned the right to embrace any water issues.
What could be more important, I ask you? We live in a world of water. It covers most of the planet’s surface. We ourselves are made of it — roughly 60 percent of the human body (and 70 percent of our brains) is water. Water IS synonymous with survival!
Welcome to my journey of “Serving Our Seas”.
Bon voyage with me!
Pierette
Author of ALIVE ON THE ANDREA DORIA! THE GREATEST SEA RESCUE IN HISTORY
www.pierettesimpson.com
Filed under: Andrea Doria, Serving Our Seas, Survivor Stories | Alive on the Andrea Doria, andrea doria, sea topics, serving our seas, shipwrecks, survival|No Comments
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