SOLE SURVIVOR
SOLE SURVIVOR profiles four people who were the only survivors of otherwise fatal plane crashes. Having suffered through not only the physical trauma of a deadly crash, but also the emotional impact of losing family members, these lone survivors have been reluctant to share their stories. Avoiding sensationalism, SOLE SURVIVOR provides them with a sensitive platform to revisit their past and try to make sense of what it meant for them to survive when so many others lost their lives.
In 1985, George Lamson was the lone survivor of Galaxy flight 203. Two decades later, George lives blocks from the accident site and still struggles with the emotional weight of his survival. In an effort to heal, he seeks to connect with the other thirteen sole survivors of commercial aviation disasters, including Cecelia Cichan, Bahia Bakari and Jim Polehinke - most of who have ever spoken publicly.
Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot of Comair Flight 5191 that crashed in 2006. Jim lost the use of his legs in the accident, but when he woke up from his coma, the most devastating news was that everyone on the plane had perished. Jim's emotional struggle with his survivorship is underscored by the NTSB's findings that the plane crashed solely due to pilot error. Former investigators say Jim was unfairly blamed and offer a case to change the ruling.
Cecelia Cichan and Bahia Bakari were children at the time of their accidents. By sharing their stories with American audiences for the first time, Cecelia and Bahia illustrate the implications of survival on children, and how media attention thwarts healing.