Business at the Bloom

Written by: Top of Virginia Regional Chamber

Dave Sanderson is a Winchester native and international speaker who was the last passenger off the “Miracle on the Hudson” plane crash in 2009. While his story has been told many times in press coverage since, his “why” is more apparent when you hear him speak in person. People of value - value people.

Dave stood in that plane as water began to cover his ankles and quickly rose to his knees. Thoughts racing through his head were about those around him, both in that plane or exiting the hull at that very moment, and the family that made him who he is today. He spent more than seven minutes on a sinking aircraft assisting other passengers to safety, only to find that there was no room left for him once he was able to exit. The wings were full. The boats were full. Seated only four rows behind the wing, Dave could have been one of the first out. Instead, he was the last passenger left on board.

He saw his life flash before his eyes and recalled how his mother would never let them say “can’t”. “If my mom heard you say can’t, she would show you that you could certainly do what you said you could not,” he said. He swam in freezing Hudson River waters to get to a boat that could take him to shore. Swimming lessons had been considered necessary to both his parents, and now were saving his life.

His body temperature had lowered to a hypothermic 94 degrees, and his blood pressure skyrocketed. His words to a tent of nearly 500 attendees spoke fondly of the people that surrounded him in recovery, from first responders and Red Cross personnel to nurses that cared for him as he was brought into Palisades Medical Center located in North Bergen New Jersey.

Success Leaves Clues

Dave Sanderson addresses the audience at the 2021 Business at the Bloom from the Frederick County Fairgrounds • Process Saves Lives • Casualness leads to Casualties • People of Value value People • The Main Thing is keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing • Let go of needing to be right to do the right thing • Divorce the story of their limitation and marry the truth of their unlimited capacity • Leaders are expected to mentor someone • 5+15 is better than 15+5 Take 5 minutes to explain and give someone 15 minutes to ask questions instead of taking 15 minutes to explain and giving them 5 minutes to understand • Grace is fueled by Gratitude