User talk:2603:8001:A601:D40:B981:1FE7:8710:BB1C

Alaska Airlines flight 261
I was working on the Ventura pier when the crash occurred and was on the upstairs patio when I heard the plane hit the water. We heard what had happened about 15 minutes later. I worked at the same restaurant 15 years later and happened to meet two of the first responders, one of whom was in charge of the recovery operation. A couple came to my bar and I started talking about Flight 261, the husband broke down in tears and left the bar to go to his table across the restaurant. I apologized to his wife and she explained why he was so emotional. Turns out, he was the man in charge of recovery. I went over and sat next to him and thanked him for what he'd been a part of, and also told him about the other first responder I'd met and what he'd told me about the crash. I also told him I'd heard the plane hit the water. He proceeded to tell me quite a lot about what had and how things happened. He also told me about some really sad things they found that first day... I believe that's the only time in my life that a grown man I didn't know cried on my shoulder. It was heartbreaking.