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First person: Confronting death — amid tragedy and other times that stir gratitude

An Air Canada Express jet collided with a fire truck while landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport late Sunday evening March 22.
  • March 23, 2026
  • Special to TAB Media
  • Latest News, National News
(Screenshot/YouTube/ABC7NY)

First person: Confronting death — amid tragedy and other times that stir gratitude

An Air Canada Express jet collided with a fire truck while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday evening March 22. Both pilots were killed, dozens of people were injured, and the airport will remain closed until at least 2 p.m. Monday.

Earlier in the day, I received news that my spiritual mother had passed away.

In August 1973, two men knocked on my apartment door in Houston, Texas, inviting my brother and me to ride their bus to church. When we did, I was assigned to the tenth-grade Sunday school class taught by Sharon Sewell, the pastor’s wife.

She made me her project, inviting me to youth ministry events and calling me each Saturday to encourage me to come to church the next morning. On Sept. 9, 1973, she led me to faith in Christ. I will be grateful for her forever, literally.

Mrs. Sewell had been declining rapidly in recent weeks. Her son told me yesterday that her last words to him were, “I want to go to heaven.” She is now reunited with her husband, my first pastor, and we are celebrating her homegoing.

Some deaths, like those that occurred in NYC last night, are tragic. Others are cause for gratitude.

Full article.


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Jim Denison and published by Denison Forum. 

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