Doreen Welsh

Biography

When U.S. Airways Flight 1549 crash-landed into the Hudson River in New York last year, Doreen Welsh thought that her life was over. She was working the BACK of the plane! Doreen had been working as a flight attendant for 38 years and says that she`s had some close calls in her career, but none like what was to become known as the "Miracle on the Hudson."

There were 150 passengers, the pilot, co-pilot and three flight attendants, including 58-year-old Welsh, on board when the plane went down in the Hudson.

About a minute after take-off it felt like the plane hit something. Experts say that something was birds, which took out both of the engines.

Doreen thought they were just going to circle around and land because that had happened to her many times in the past. Instead, as she fastened her safety belt, she heard the three words for which she had trained for 38 years, but words she thought she would never hear in her entire career, "BRACE FOR IMPACT! " Doreen had 90 seconds until impact! 90 seconds in which she knew instinctively would be her last in this world. The world was in slow motion as the pilot had to land the plane on the frigid Hudson River.

The plane landed back first so it was a violent crash in the back where Doreen sat. The masks dropped, and things flew from the galley and the scene was surreal. That`s when the plane began to take on water. The 38-year veteran of the skies was the only one injured although, due to an adrenaline rush, she wouldn`t really realize her injury until the passengers were safely off of the plane.

Welsh`s story is unique. She is NOT a professional speaker but her tale will have your audience in tears one minute and laughing out loud another. The takeaways of using your survival skills when you need them is applicable to any audience and will make this the most memorable presentation your group has ever seen. Doreen challenges audiences around the world by asking what you would do if you only had "90 Seconds To (make an) Impact?"

"It`s a miracle," Welsh said. "The whole thing was a miracle, there is no doubt about that."