Live long and prosper

June 17, 2016 | Dian Chaaban


Share

Tomorrow is the 69th anniversary of an inspiring story I recently came across here - so I thought I would share it with you.

 

On June 18th, 1947 on a Pan Am flight from Calcutta to New York an engine stopped working – causing a fire and panic on the plane.

 

While the pilot tried to desperately land the plane, the 25 year old co-pilot unbuckled himself from his seat and went into the main cabin of the plane to sit with his passengers – he sat next to a young woman who was travelling alone and he told her it was “going to be ok”. He told her this over and over again – even as they watched the engine continue to burn and fall from the wing, even as the plane began diving downwards and even though they both knew what was about to happen.

 

  1. plane crashed into the Syrian Desert. 14 people died instantaneously. 2 crew members survived – including the co-pilot. And with a pair of broken ribs, he went back into the burning plane saving those who were still alive from the wreckage.

 

Shortly after, the plane became engulfed in flames and all they could do was watch – and wait. They waited until morning for help – but no one came. The co-pilot took charge and formed 2 search parties – each heading in different directions into the desert. The co-pilot’s party eventually found a village with a radio and they called for help.

 

22 survivors were rescued because of this co-pilot.

 

The co-pilot returned home a changed man. He didn’t want to be a pilot anymore and felt that he needed to do something different with his life. So he resigned from Pan Am to pursue his passion in writing which ultimately led him to television.

 

His name was Gene Roddenberry and he created Stark Trek.

 

I am sharing this story with you today not as an ode to Roddenberry (although he is pretty amazing – prior to Star Trek he was a decorated WWII pilot, a plane crash investigator, an LA cop and survivor of 3 plane crashes). I share it with you as a reminder to do what you love and enjoy life as a daily goal (within reason) rather than just a someday goal. I also share it with you because Roddenberry didn’t know for certain what the outcome was going to be when he told the young woman that it was “going to be ok”. Maybe it had something to do with the previous 2 crash experiences, his optimism, his leadership or just his gut – but he was confident in his abilities to save 22 lives that day. And while this may be a bit of a stretch, I hope you’ll remember this story the next time the market takes a nosedive and when I tell you that it’s going to be ok.

 

While no one knows with absolute certainty what the market is going to do, it’s our rich experience and vast resources as leaders in the wealth management space that provides us with the confidence in our abilities to preserve and grow your money with real conviction behind the five words, “it’s going to be ok”.