Link Copied! Cecelia M. Cichan (born April 10, 1983, now known as Cecelia M. Cichan-Lumpkin) is best known as the 4-year-old girl who was the only survivor of the August 16, 1987 crash of a McDonnell-Douglas DC-9 carrying Northwest Airlines Flight 255, which occurred during the takeoff phase from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport for its flight to Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix . The only thing I saw was a right hand sticking out from underneath the seat, and I heard moaning too.'. YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. All rights reserved. Plane and Pilot builds on more than 50 years of serving pilots and owners of aircraft with the goal of empowering our readers to improve their knowledge and enthusiasm for aviation. But John Thiede, a Romulus volunteer firefighter who quickly joined Arnold when Cecelia was spotted alive, offered a different recollection. The names of all those who died are inscribed under a dove with a ribbon in its beak, reading: 'Their spirit still lives on. Miles Survivor Fell From Sky: 2, Furthest Distance Fallen From Plane And Survived: 6.31 miles I remember feeling angry and survivor's guilt. (AP) DETROIT Cecelia Crocker's . The plane was just clearing the runway at 8:46 p.m. on Aug. 16, 1987, when it tilted slightly. It does not store any personal data. The twin-engined McDonnell Douglas MD-82 then stalled, and hit a lighting pole at the end of the runway, which sliced 18 feet from its left wing and ignited jet fuel stored in the wing. 122 mil views, 873 likes, 132 loves, 144 comments, 1,2 mil shares, Facebook Watch Videos from WDIV Local 4 / ClickOnDetroit: WATCH: Cecelia Cichan, the sole survivor of the Flight 255 crash in 1987,. , updated Two people also died on the ground. She was sent thousands of gifts, cards and stuffed animals. Age: 14 Cecilias survival gave her grandmother only partial comfort. Next Up In Utah. The authorities had said they thought the girl was shielded from the impact of the crash by a woman, apparently her mother. She was four years old and was on her way home to Tempe, Ariz., with her parents and brother following a visit to . "I have visual scars. With Bahia Bakari, Cecelia Cichan, George Lamson Jr., James Polehinke. Their conclusion: Bracing for impact can indeed be a lifesaver. Documents made available during a hearing on the Aug. 16 crash of a Northwest Airlines jetliner suggest that its sole survivor, 4-year-old Cecelia Cichan, was not saved by her mother, as had been believed. Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category . As rescuers picked through the smoking wreckage of a crashed airliner, the faintest of cries was carried on the night air. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Additional information. The flight, carrying 154 people, left Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Romulus, Michigan bound for Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona. Cecelia suffered horrific injuries including a fractured skull, broken leg and collarbone and third-degree burns. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. Cecelia Cichan, whose married name is now Crocker, was the lone survivor of the crash. In the history of aviation, there have been only 14 of them: sole survivors of a commercial aviation disaster. Amazingly, roughly 95 percent of people involved in plane crashes live to tell about it, according to National Transportation Safety Board statistics on accidents studied from 1983 to 2000. Her father's body was 60 to 70 yards from her, the documents show. Polish basketball player breaks slam dunk world record. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Her mother, Paula, father Michael and brother, David, six were among those killed as the family returned from their vacation. I picked up a chair and set it on the pavement, so that might have been'' the airline seat the woman had been in. Rita is Cecelia's godmother. Despite the horrific nature of the crash, somehow Cecelias body was thrown clear of the fuselage. FILE- In this Oct. 9, 1987 file photo provided by the University of Michigan Medical Center, Cecelia Cichan, the sole survivor of Northwest Airlines flight 255 crash, that killed 154 people aboard . Hayes described David as a precocious child, who at age 6 was reading at a fifth grade level. In all, 156 people died in the crash of Flight 255. How two Korean immigrants turned Cupbop into a national sensation. Previous Next. When I look in the mirror, I have visual scars.'. Sole Survivor: Directed by Ky Dickens. He said: I heard that faint cry a baby doll makes. Some 156 people died, including two on the ground, in what remains one of the deadliest air disasters in U.S. history. 'The seat was resting so that the child was sitting face down with the head pointing in a northwesterly direction,' Arnold said ina report with the National Transportation Safety Board. She underwent four skin grafts for the burns on her arms and legs. Memorial set for victims of 1987 Mich. plane crash. "My wife was there to support me to where I could just put my head on her shoulder and cry. ". Cecelia was released from a hospital last month and put in the custody of an aunt and uncle. She added that the delay in identifying the girl came in part because Northwest had refused to release a passenger list. Michael Cichan, 32; Paula Cichan, 33; and their 6-year-old son, David, who were among the . 0:00. "So the brace position is designed to reduce your chances of being knocked unconscious during a heavy impact, and you must be conscious, obviously, to evacuate.". The tattoo helps to remind her of her lucky escape. Here are two links, one describing the accident, . or redistributed. My arms and my legs. Why didn't my brother survive? Cecelia Cichan was just four years old when she became the sole survivor of doomed Northwest Airlines Flight 255. how did cecelia cichan survive. "When I realized I was the only person to survive that plane crash, I was maybe in middle school, high school maybe," Crocker said. He identified her after seeing her chipped tooth and nail polish, said hospital spokeswoman Catherine Cureton. Wayne County Sheriff's Deputy James Arnold was apparently the first rescue worker to find Cecelia, who spent eight weeks in an Ann Arbor hospital recovering from injuries and burns she received in the crash. The 7-year-old walked away alone from the wreckage of a plane crash that killed her entire family . Fatalities: 91 But their life is altered forever, and it's not easy for them to pick up and go on and there's very little of it that feels lucky to them.". Cecelia Cichan was just four when she became the sole survivor of doomed Northwest Airlines Flight 255 . 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. He met her for the first time on her wedding day when he watched her walk down the aisle to become Cecelia Crocker. Twenty-seven years ago today, the Northwest Airlines flight 255 crashed on take-off in Detroit, killing 154 people on board; the sole survivor was a four-year-old girl. All rights reserved. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Hayes talked with Paula, Cecelia and David on the telephone Aug. 14, in Philadelphia where they were attending a family reunion. She says the tattoo helps to remind her of her lucky escape and the thanks she owes to those who saved her. "When you see the footage of the wreckage, it's just a complete miracle and blessing that somebody walked away from that," said Jeff Krappitz, who lost his grandfather in the crash. Hospital spokesmen report that Cecelia also suffered a broken leg and collarbone and burns over 30 percent of her body. Dog rescued after falling 12 feet into Georgia storm drain. Cecilia Cichan of Tempe, Ariz., was listed in critical but stable condition early today at C.S. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Legal Statement. The young girl was Cecelia Cichan, a 4-year-old traveling, in seat 8F, with her parents and older brother, on a return flight from a visit to her . She even got a tattoo of an airplane on her wrist. You have your hopes up so high, she said, using the girls nickname. Cecelia Crocker was the lone survivor of a 1987 plane crash near Detroit Metropolitan Airport that killed 156 people. Perhaps she felt her daughter had less hope of surviving without her help. Person hired to promote new 'Scream' movie prompts 911 calls. Getty. Cecelia Cichan, in Oct. 1987, was the only one to survive the tragic plane crash of a Northwest Airlines flight that killed more than 150 people Search News & Analysis The four-day hearing in this Detroit suburb ended Thursday. It is a story of survival that defies belief. The plane bound for Phoenix, crashing shortly after takeoff onto Middlebelt Road and eventually I-94. Northwest Airlines Flight 255 exploded shortly after taking off at 8.46pm on August 16, 1987. "I remember feeling angry and survivor's guilt. . ANN ARBOR, MICH., AUG. 20 -- Four-year-old Cecilia Cichan, the sole survivor of the second worst airline disaster in U.S. history, regained consciousness early today, and promptly . 'But anybody can look at the documents and put two and two together.'. . I remember reading that her mother had saved her life by shielding Cecelia with her body just before impact. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. She is a sole survivor who took control, and turned tragedy into a life of triumph. The family also set up a trust fund after she received more than $150,000 in donations. Message in a bottle travels more than 185 miles in Australia. "I think about the accident every day. When rescuers found Cecelia they did not believe she had been on the plane. Dr Jai Prasad, the doctor who led the team which cared for the four-year-old, said at the time: 'She understands she has lost her father and her mother, and her brother. Cecilia Cichan, the 4-year-old girl who is the only survivor of Northwest Airlines Flight 225, regained consciousness and asked for her doll and her mother, who was killed in the crash, the girl's . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Fatalities: 30 It was initially believed that the four-year-old was one of those injured on the ground until her grandfather came forward to identify the little girl by her chipped front tooth. "Cele and her mother had a game they played with the window shade," she said. They lived in Tempe, Ariz., at the time. Air Disasters - Alarming Silence The Sole Survivor. Hayes considers it a miracle that Cecelia survived. Her incredible story started on August 16 . YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. When Northwest flight 255 went down just after taking off from Detroit in August 1987, Cecelia Cichan, 4, was the only survivor. DETROIT (AP) _ A chipped tooth and purple polish on little fingernails hepled an anxious grandfather identify the critically burned 4-year-old girl who was the only passenger to survive the Northwest Airlines jet crash. A rescue worker at the scene said the whimpering child was pulled from beneath the body of a woman. She was raised in Alabama by her aunt and uncle who shielded her from the media and others who sought to delve into her unique past. In 1987, Northwest Airlines flight 255 crashed minutes after taking off from Detroit's Metro Airport, killing 154 people on board and two people on the ground, but leaving behind one tiny miracle. May 16, 2013— -- At just 4 years old, Cecelia Crocker became known as America's orphan after being the only survivor in a 1987 plane crash, which, to this day, she doesn't remember. In four to six weeks, she expects Cecelia to be moved from the hospital in Detroit to the burn center in Philadelphia to be nearer her family while she heals. But they were a tremendous family. Crash: Vietnamese Airlines Flight VN474 (1992) Her mother Paula was in the middle seat and David (age 6) sat on the aisle. Lone Survivor: Cecelia Cichan, age 4 She told film-makers: 'Its kind of hard not to think about it. Michael (the children's father) sat across the aisle. Hours Spent At Sea Clinging To Wreckage: Nine-plus She was identified Monday night by her grandfather, Anthony Cichan, 59, of Maple Glen, Pa., officials said. There was intense global interest in the little girl, which saw her feature on magazine covers and receive piles of gifts from strangers. Amazing story: Cecelia is talking publicly about the disaster for the first time, Tattoo: Cecelia has a plane inked on her arm. It was believed that Cecelia survived the crash because her mother shielded her with her own body. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. As of 2013, the crash is the fourth-deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history. The Cichan family had recently moved to Tempe, Ariz., where Michael Cichan was a professor of botany at Arizona State University. Photo: getty. Her 4 year old daughter Cecilia was the lone survivor. March 1 (UPI) -- A basketball player from Poland broke a Guinness World Record in London when he jumped 10 feet and 5 inches to complete a between the legs slam dunk. Why me?". An exclusive screening of "Sole Survivor" was held Wednesday night in Royal Oaks, Mich., near the 1987 Northwest Airlines flight 255 plane crash site. ''It's nice to think that it was her mother's last act, but there was no body within 6 to 8 feet of Cecelia. Cecelia suffered horrific injuries including a fractured skull, broken leg and collarbone and third-degree burns. In the new documentary, Sole Survivor, Cecelia Cichan, whose married name is Crocker, breaks her silence, discussing how the crash of the Phoenix-bound jetliner . "The odds are just astronomical.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Man arrested after explosive device found in his luggage at Pennsylvania airport, NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 Mission successfully launches for Int'l Space Station, Liz Cheney joins University of Virginia as a professor. Her name: Cecilia Cichan. March 1 (UPI) -- Officials at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium confirmed a cheetah briefly escaped from its enclosure, but was behind a public barrier at all times. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- A swimmer visiting a beach in New South Wales, Australia, found a mussel-covered message in a bottle that turned out to have traveled more than 185 miles. The only survivor was Cecelia Cichan, then 4, of Tempe, Ariz., whose parents and brother died in the crash. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. She doesn't remember the event, which claimed the lives of 156 people, but as she grew older, she began to wonder why her life was the only one spared. But she doesnt have any memory of how it happened., At the funeral of her parents and brother in St Alphonsus Church in Maple Glen, the Reverend Andrew Robberecht, who married the Cichans and baptised their two children, said: Cecelia reminds us and will always remind us of the miracle of life.. The four-year-old suffered serious injuries including a fractured skull, broken leg and collarbone and third-degree burns. The only person who survived the 1987 crash of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 near Detroit Metropolitan Airport that killed 154 others aboard is sharing her story. Sign in to continue reading, By Desiree Kocis Published November 25, 2020 Save Article, Fatalities In Crash Of Yemenia Flight 626 (2009): 152 (2009) Cecelia Marie Cichan (born April 10, 1983, now known as Cecelia Marie Cichan-Lumpkin) is best known as the 4-year-old girl who was the only survivor of the August 16, 1987 crash of a McDonnell-Douglas MD-82 operating as Northwest Airlines Flight 255. . Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. . As for Cecelia's future, she'll not lack for loving relatives to care for her. Amid the carnage and the other 154 people who had perished, miraculously one tiny passenger was still alive. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In the audience were family members of victims who were killed in the 1987 crash, the one in which Crocker was the only survivor. I never go a day without thinking about the people on Flight 255, she says. Then there is Bahia Bakari, who was 14 when she survived after Yemenia flight 626 plummeted into the Indian Ocean in 2009, and spent nine hours clinging to plane wreckage before she was rescued. Paula was a nurse but had not worked in the field for several years. Nissan recalling 700,000 SUVs. Lone survivor recalls one of worst US plane crashes. One of them was Paula Ciamaichela Cichan, 33, who saved the lone survivor, her daughter Cecilia, age 4. Brazer said he is happy Cecelia is doing so well, but saddened by Paula's death. To find out more, read our Privacy Notice and Cookie Policy. Vimeo installs this cookie to collect tracking information by setting a unique ID to embed videos to the website. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. 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