It has been amazing the past month to see how the Caribbean wants a hero, too. Sully Sullenberger has been adopted as the one they need right now.
I just returned from a trip to Europe attending the Who’s Who In Luxury Real Estate International Conference in Paris. Sully Sullenberger has been the topic of conversation everywhere I go, lately.
Many of you know that Sully and his family are dear friends of mine from the San Francisco Bay Area – Danville. You also have been following the whirlwind attention that has come to him because of the “Miracle On The Hudson”. Sully was the right person, at the right time in history, with the
right skills. His 35+ years as a jet pilot and as a glider training pilot was the perfect stuff for the first forced landing in water that had NO fatalities.
Sully is a very reluctant hero. While I was at the Paris Conference the Town of Danville had a welcome home parade for Sully and his family. Thousands of people were there to thank him. His entire speech was two sentences long thanking his community members for the honor they were giving him. So, yesterday you may have seen Sully on 60 Minutes. Today, he will be receiving the key to New York City from Mayor Bloomberg. And he will be on the David Lettermen Show Tuesday night. He is so humble 
and understated that the hero mantle does not fit well with his style. However, we all seem to need a hero today, given all of the bad stuff that is going on in our world.
Sully is carefully allowing the hero title to be added to his name. He and the US Air crew were honored at the start of the Super Bowl. In speaking with Sully and his family, the book and movie deals presented to them are overwhelming. His job opportunities with international news corporations, and the interest in his corporate safety company are just unbelievable.
The day we were leaving for London was the day after the crash. I had been at the Sullenberger’s home the night of the crash to make sure that Sully’s wife, Lorrie and their girls were doing OK. As I was leaving their home late that night I spoke with the world news organizations waiting outside their home. Because of that moment with the press I was called
the next day by Fox News for three different interviews that day. My last interview being just an hour before the plane took off for my trip to London.
During my two+ weeks in Europe, everyone wanted to know about Sully. They were so excited about the opportunity to have a world hero, not just for the USA, but for them, too. I gathered newspapers and magazines from five European countries to add to their scrapbook that is already gigantic. I am so glad that Sully’s wonderful story continues to have the attention of the world so we can honor a reluctant hero who was just doing his job. What an inspiration for all of us emulate. Thank you, Sully, from Jim Walberg and your Caribbean Islands fan club!