Note: This Post was written by Fish’s Mom, Dr Patricia Fishburne

It was decided. Stokes would stay at Ohio State University and work on his ongoing experiment for his Ph.D. in Aeronautical Engineering while I flew to New Jersey for Christmas with my family. It would be my very first flight, which I viewed with equal parts trepidation and excitement. Stokes would drive to New Jersey with Madchen, our miniature dachshund, the following weekend.

Stokes met with his doctoral advisor, Dr. Edse, to tell him that he planned to continue to work on his experiment. When he heard Stokes’ plan Dr. Edse asked him to come to his office.

When Stokes got to the office, Dr. Edse told him that his job as an advisor was not limited to guiding him academically but also to guiding him personally. Dr. Edse said that what Stokes was planning to do was absolutely wrong. Family must come first — not work. Dr. Edse told Stokes.  that his research could wait. He should cancel the airline reservation and drive to New Jersey with me.

When Stokes came home that night, he was still conflicted about what he should do.  He said that we would call TWA and find out what type of aircraft was scheduled for the flight. He was an aeronautical engineer, after all, and knew a good deal about aircraft. For my very first flight he wanted me to take a non-stop Super Constellation, which would be a very comfortable flight. He didn’t want me to take a Martin or some other type of aircraft that would be making a second stop. So, we called TWA.  When the TWA reservationist told Stokes that the equipment for Flight 266 was a Martin aircraft he cancelled my flight. He turned to me and said, “We’ll drive to New Jersey this weekend, my experiment can wait.”

The next day I went to work. There was, after all, no sense in wasting a vacation day if we weren’t leaving until the weekend. My co-workers were surprised to see me.  I explained that it wasn’t a non-stop flight, so we decided to drive to New Jersey instead. As I came up the stairs after my coffee break, several of my co-workers rushed up to me and asked what flight I had been on. I told them TWA Flight 266. My best friend looked aghast. She told me that there had been a mid-air collision over New York City involving TWA Flight 266 and a United flight. All 128 people on the two airplanes were dead, as well as six people on the ground. The Park Slope crash, as it was called, was the deadliest aviation disaster that had ever occurred.

The incredible part is that I would have been on TWA Flight 266 if it had not been for the TWA reservationist.  She made a mistake. She told Stokes that it was a Martin aircraft – it was not, it was a Super Constellation. That was the best Christmas present I ever got.

Not only did I have the reservationist to thank, I also had Dr. Edse to thank for making Stokes rethink his priorities. Dr. Edse not only helped to save my life, he altered Stokes’ approach to work and family. In the future, family would come first.

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