Chicopee man promotes 'Miracle on the Hudson' book

Date: 12/22/2009

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



CHICOPEE -- Jorge Morgado admits that being one of the survivors of the USA Air Flight 1549 earlier this year changed his life.

The Chicopee businessman, along with Robert J. Kolodjay, Jeffrey R. Kolodjay, James Stefanik, Rick Delisle and David Carlos from the city, was among those who were rescued from the Hudson River in New York after a successful ditching.

Morgado's story, along with those of other survivors, is included in the recently released book, "Miracle on the Hudson: The Survivors of Flight 1549." He is among the survivors who have agreed to promote the book.

Morgado said that of the 155 passengers on the flight, 80 were interviewed for the book by authors William Prochnau and Laura Parke. He added he is very pleased with the book and its wealth of details about that day. Parke spent "quite a few hours" over the phone interviewing Morgado.

"The book was good for me to read," he said. "I know what I went through that day . people went through different things."

Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger was forced to ditch the plane on the Hudson River after the plane had sustained damage from hitting Canada geese.

"A lot of things went right that day and one was Capt. Sully in that seat," Morgado said.

He said his Chicopee friends "played a big part in the book."

Morgado admitted, "I look at life a little different [now]." The general manager of Baystate Rug, Morgado said before the crash experience he was "very gung ho" about business. Now, he understands the importance of his family. He has three children -- a son age four and twin girls age 18 months -- and he said, "Now I leave work at work."

"I could have missed it all," he said of his encounter with disaster.

The Chicopee men had been on their way to a golf vacation in Florida and eventually made in April with publicity on the Golf Channel. They didn't take a flight, though -- they drove.

Morgado said that he hasn't returned to flying as yet and has cancelled several business trips that involved flying. He said he would fly again, though.

"I have a little bit of fear," he said.

"The 'Miracle on the Hudson' is also proof that all news does not need to be bad news. There are plenty of positive miracles in our life occurring every day if only we focused on them," he said.

The Random House book is available at booksellers and on-line.