Captain Sullenberger, better known and remembered as Capt. “Sully,” is the hero pilot who managed to land an airliner on the Hudson River after the plane’s engines were taken out by a bird strike. Capt. Sully’s quick thinking and skill as a pilot were remarkable and important because he managed to save all of the more than 150 people on board by successfully landing in the river without crashing, a tremendous feat of piloting skill.
Now, the former pilot and outspoken advocate of aviation safety got to celebrate another momentous moment, though one more generally applicable to any father: the marriage of his daughter, surrounded by friends and family.
Capt. Sully announced that tremendous news in an Instagram post on Friday, saying, “We were thrilled to see Kelly and Jack exchange their vows of marriage last Saturday! With a large group of family and friends, we celebrated long into the night.”
Continuing, he noted how joyful the celebration was and why such moments are important, writing, “It was wonderful to see and feel their joy, and connect with old friends and make new ones. As Kelly said, “There are few times in life when all the people you love are in the same room.” Welcome to the family, Jack! – Lorrie and Sully #wedding #love #family #captsully”
Speaking to PEOPLE about the marriage and how wonderful the wedding was, Capt. Sully said, “Lorrie and I understand that like before your child is born, people try to tell you how joyous their wedding will be, but you really can’t comprehend that level of joy until you see your daughter’s face. And the more people who love your children the better.”
Earlier in the year, Capt. Sully spoke to PEOPLE about the Hudson River incident and how it is embedded in his memory, saying, “I certainly remember it vividly. It was a traumatic experience certainly for everyone in the airplane and for the families to go through something like that.”
Continuing, he noted the responsibility he felt for saving all of the plane’s passengers, both while miraculously landing it in the Hudson and as it slowly slipped below the waves after he did so. He said that, after the plane landed and the passengers had evacuated, he went through it twice to “make sure nobody was left behind.”
He then added how tragic he knew it would have been if anyone had died during the incident, saying, “Had even one person not survived, I would’ve considered it a tragic failure [that] I would’ve felt deeply for the rest of my life.”
He also said that he and the passengers are “like an extended family” because of both the incident itself and how well it turned out for those involved, saying, “We have become bonded. And so I think over the passing years I feel evermore gratitude that we were able to achieve such a good outcome and save every life.”
Featured image credit: Capt. Sully’s Instagram
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