On January 13th 1982 an Air Florida flight crashed off the 14th Street Bridge in Washington DC. It was a bridge I had traveled across many times before during the year I lived in DC. The entire event was being broadcast live and I sat glued to the TV as the big Boeing 737 slid ever so slowly into the swirling ice cold waters of the Potomac River. Only five people out of the 79 that were onboard that flight survived the crash.
Two of those who survived owe their lives to the heroism and selflessness of a 46 year old man named "Arland D. Williams Jr." who was a bank examiner. I did not know his name for twenty years after the crash but it is a name I will probably never forget.
Because of the heavy traffic around DC and on the bridge that day the emergency vehicles were seriously hindered from reaching the scene. In the interim two TV news copters did the best they could to pull the few people who had made it to the surface out of the water. It was noble effort on their part because the wind driven snow was a screaming polar bear closing in on the prey.
I watched in stark amazement as one copter lowered a small life ring to a white haired gentleman in the frozen raging soup. He grabbed the ring but then worked it over to another passenger who was then lifted to safety. The copter returned and once again lowered the ring to the gentleman who pushed it over to another passenger yet again. By the time the copter returned for the third time the distinguished gentleman was slipping beneath the stinging waters never to be seen again on that day.
For weeks I could not get that picture out of my mind, but I didn't want to get it out of my mind. I felt I had witnessed the best example I had seen in my lifetime of perfect and selfless love. I have told this story countless times in my messages as a preacher of the gospel. I still get choked up with emotion and with the same feelings I had when I watched the events unfold before me. There is an inestimable sense of admiration and respect I feel for Mr. Williams. I often see myself looking and calling for friends and loved ones when I get to heaven. I also see myself asking the Lord for an introduction to Mr. Williams so I can see and embrace one of the bravest men and best examples of love I ever hope to know in this life.
Mr. Williams gave a living and lasting example to me of just what Jesus was talking about when he said?"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends," John 15:13 KJV. Thank you for this example Mr. Williams.
The 14th Street Bridge has been renamed the "Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge." Several memorials to Mr. Williams have been placed at "The Citadel" in South Carolina which he graduated from in 1957. In His hometown of Mattoon, Illinois the elementary school was named after Mr. Williams in 2003.
Rev Bresciani has written many articles over the past thirty years in such periodicals as Guideposts and Catholic Digest. He is the author of two books available on Amazon.com, Alibris, Barnes and Noble and many other places. Rev Bresciani wrote "Hook Line and Sinker or what has Your Church Been Teaching You," publisher, PublishAmerica of Baltimore MD. He also wrote a book published by Xulon Press entitled "An American Prophet and His Message, Questions and Answers on the Second Coming of Christ." His book is now being heralded as the clearest book on the subject of the second coming of Christ since Hal Lindsey's "Late Great Planet Earth" Rev Bresciani's website is,
move in cleaning service Mundelein ..Your mind-body team is made up of your mind and... Read More
When my dad was nearing the end of his life... Read More
If any man be in Christ, he is a new... Read More
As I listen with pastors and preachers in the body... Read More
Christianity: White man's religion?Martin Luther King referred to Sunday as... Read More
Being critical of Buddhism isn't easy.Buddhism is the most likable... Read More
"I learned I was not, as most Africans believed, the... Read More
There are no better people to be around than those... Read More
We have all heard the phrase, "follow your nose". This... Read More
Most of us know that the universe - God's universe... Read More
Our Creator is an infinitely loving and generous provider -... Read More
All Shamans have several power songs because the vibration of... Read More
When God first unveils a business or ministry vision that... Read More
In Feng Shui, water symbolizes wealth. The word "fish" in... Read More
Forgiveness breaks all bounds of repression and depression. It liberates... Read More
I had visions of my daughter for about five years... Read More
First, there is the field of complete consciousness.This then expresses... Read More
You are a Creative Worker:God carries on creative work through... Read More
Forget what you have read or seen about vampires. The... Read More
Today I was in rather a whimsical mood, and so... Read More
We see it all the time in people's lives some... Read More
"In the sixth century of the sixth millennium, the gates... Read More
Do you realize you are creating your future by the... Read More
Several months ago, I read an... Read More
Although your creative ability and talent is something that God... Read More
insured cleaning company Highland Park ..The dictionary defines the word forgive as: [to pardon, as... Read More
When the Tsunami struck Asia and East Africa on December... Read More
I find myself floating on a cloud as heavenly music... Read More
It's late. But it's usually those words that you cannot... Read More
I come face to face with self whenever you come... Read More
We hear this word so often and have one thing... Read More
Lately I have become aware of a new truth that... Read More
An Illuminatus Speaks:You will have to decide if this Illuminatus... Read More
There is a specific technique that a Shaman uses to... Read More
The Many Waters explores the universe and sifts through the... Read More
In Corrogue I am seeking the source of inner beauty.This... Read More
I am going to remind of some simple, yet important... Read More
If you spend a hundred bucks and buy the right... Read More
There are no better people to be around than those... Read More
It's not always easy to stand in the midst of... Read More
Judgement; What does this mean? The encyclopedia definition is, "The... Read More
Your creative gift has power.God was the first and still... Read More
When I was a child, I thought as a child,... Read More
I often ask myself this question. Not in the times... Read More
Each time our children graduate from one stage to another... Read More
I love rivers. I have for many years lived away... Read More
Recently it has come to my attention people are noticing... Read More
Healing is a special gift that any human being can... Read More
Self-actualization comes down to three basic premises: this is who... Read More
Connect with Your GodDo you at times, feel fearful, depressed,... Read More
Spirituality |