ARLAND WILLIAMS WAS ONE OF 79 PASSENGERS ON AIR FLORIDA FLIGHT 90 LEAVING WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT ON JANUARY 12TH, 1982.
THE PLANE CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, FIRST CRASHING INTO THE 14TH STREET BRIDGE BEFORE BREAKING OFF INTO TWO PIECES AND CRASHING INTO THE ICY WATERS OF THE POTOMAC RIVER.
FROM THAT POINT THERE WERE SIX SURVIVORS. A RESCUE HELICOPTER LOWERED A ROPE AND LIFE RING TO A MAN. THAT MAN, LATER IDENTIFIED AS WILLIAMS, GAVE THE LIFE RING TO FIVE PEOPLE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO SURVIVE.
BUT WILLIAMS LOST HIS LIFE KEEPING THOSE PASSENGERS ALIVE.
HIS MEMORY LIVES ON HERE AT ARLAND D. WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN MATTOON. ON THURSDAY NIGHT THE SCHOOL MARKED THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF WILLIAMS' EFFORTS. STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND FRIENDS CAME OUT TO HONOR HIM AS A HERO.
MATTOON MAYOR TIM GOVER SPOKE OF WILLIAMS' SACRIFICE AND WHAT HIS LEGACY MEANS TO COMMUNITY OF MATTOON.
