Tony Ogaga
It is exactly 13 years today since the Sosoliso airplane crash that took the lives of 60 students of Loyola College and an additional 51 happened in Port Harcourt. And the only survivor of the crash and Americas Got Talent star, Kechi Okuchi, who escaped death by the whiskers has penned an emotional note to her fallen classmates.
In her message, Kechi penned: “To the dearly departed of Dec.10 2005. Hi; it’s me Kechi. I know your souls are resting in the Lord. I honour you on this day; to the 60 angels, to all my friends that were on that plane. You know the promise I made to you all so long ago, the promise to live strongly, to live fully, to live well all in honour of your memories.
“Have you been watching? Have you seen me struggle all these years that have passed to do right by my promise to you… to excel as best as I can in everything I do, to see the best in people before anything else, to surround myself with positivity, to discipline myself, to see the bright side of things, to honour my parents, to love the Lord, to live this life that was unwittingly saved that day as fully and as beautifully as I possibly can. I hope you have because it’s all for you. So much has happened since that day, most of it unplanned and thankfully positive.
“I used to think life was cruel, how it goes on ignoring individual sorrow. Loved ones pass and time doesn’t even pause for even a single second to acknowledge the grief of the ones left behind. I still struggle with that to this day, to be honest.
“But the thing I pray for always is the strength to keep going no matter what I face because my life is not just mine. Yes, because I live for (not only) myself and my happiness but I live for you too. And so I hope you have been watching and hope I’m making you proud. Love Kechi!”
Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight between Abuja and Port Harcourt. At about 14:08 pm on that December 10, 2005, the plane crash-landed at Port Harcourt International Airport in inclement weather. The plane, a McDonnell Douglas DC-0-32 with 110 people on board, slammed onto the ground and burst into flames.