An Accident and Axel Tressler Was Born

Virginia Tressler was pregnant and had less than a month to go before giving birth, but she decided to take a commercial airplane flight to see her husband, Ted, who was on a business trip to the Boston and Worcester areas of Massachusetts. Ted had been gone for a couple of weeks when he phoned her and mentioned he would have a few free days from business, and maybe she could come up and they could tour the Boston area. She had always wanted to visit that area since she was a little girl. All those neat stories about the revolution and other events that happened in the area had always appealed to her imagination. So it didn't take much for Ted to convince her to make the trip.

Virginia quickly took the steps to set up the reservations with the airlines, and she would be leaving in a few days. Virginia called Ted and told him the details of the trip, so he could pick her up at the airport. The flight would be from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, directly to Logan Airport in Boston and would arrive at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. She could tell he was excited by the tone of his voice, and after hanging up the phone, she hurriedly completed picking out her outfits to wear in Boston this time of the year. It was early spring, and the weather could be warm or cold. It could be sunny or windy with snow flurries. It didn't matter to her. She knew they would have fun doing something no matter the weather. She felt strong and in no way was bothered by the forthcoming flight or any travel involved for the next week she would be there before returning home for her last cleaning up of the house and the birth of her child.

The days went by rapidly, and she soon found herself going through security at the Pittsburgh International Airport. Soon, she was on the flight and looking out the portal window hoping to make out some landmark in the terrain, but she could only see white clouds below. She knew the plane had been in the air about an hour and a half and was probably in the eastern part of Pennsylvania. She had hoped she would be able to see the land of the Quakers below, but it wasn't forthcoming. As she looked out again, she was interrupted by a surge of the plane as though it was having problems. Maybe it's just bucking the wind, she thought to herself. But then it jolted sideways and back and forth, and she knew there was trouble. She glanced toward the aisle seat and the lady passenger sitting next to her. She was obviously having problems with the flight and now was looking very frightened, with her eyes wide open and gripping the arms of her seat.

Then, just as the plane began another dramatic surge, they were interrupted by the loud speaker and the pilot's voice calmly directing everyone to make sure their safety belts were fastened tight. He stated that they were experiencing rough wind, and he probably would be taking the plane up higher to get above an obvious storm. But soon it became apparent that there were other issues causing the plane to buck back and forth. The pilot's voice continued to give directions, and they seemed more urgent. Then his voice sent chills through her body as he was directing the air stewards to take certain positions and precautions as though preparing them for a rough landing, a landing somewhere in the Pocono Mountain area in the northeastern part of the state. The pilot stated, "We are having problems with the control of the aircraft, and I have signaled the major airports in the area. We are not going to make it to any of the airports. I will try to land as best I can, and someone should be coming for us shortly. Please lean forward in your seats with your hands against the seat in front of you. All seats should be upright now, and your seat belts should be engaged. Do you understand? All seats are to be upright now."

Virginia took the position directed and held her breath. Surely this is a dream, and this thing will come out all right, she thought. She thought of her husband, Red, as he was called because of his red hair, and she hoped that she would live through this and deliver the child he so wanted. The pilot was trying to resolve the problem and correct the path of the plane. People were screaming, and some were crying, and some were praying. It wasn't quiet, and Virginia closed her eyes and prayed that she would live through this and deliver a child to Red. Every so often, Virginia would think the pilot had won the battle, since the plane seemed to right itself, but it was not long before another jerk of the plane occurred. It seemed like he was flying on only one engine, and that one would spit and cause another rough period.

As she pushed against the back of the seat in front of her, she could hear people screaming, crying, and many were praying. It is odd, she thought, that I can hear this above the sound of the plane as it erratically moves toward the earth below. We are in the clouds now, she thought as she glanced toward her left. It shouldn't be long now, and I hope the pilot has found a clearing to hit with his landing gear. She knew his gear was down, having heard and felt it a moment before. She had always listened for this sign that a plane she was on was about to land. Now, she prayed that this was a good sign, and it would end like all the other flights had ended.

Suddenly, there was an abrupt ending to her thoughts, and it seemed like only a second had passed before her eyes flickered amidst what appeared as a...