CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Miracle of Christmas -- perhaps no one knows and appreciates the meaning of that more than passengers involved in the "Miracle on the Hudson" US Airways flight 1549.
This is their first Christmas since the water landing almost a year ago.
Beth McHugh always had a healthy respect for magic of Christmas, especially with kids and grandkids.
Her gift was surviving. Everyone on the plane did. A flock of birds hit the engines, bringing down the aircraft.
"I thought that I might not have another day with friends and family," McHugh said.
The amazing video captured the world's attention.
For the passengers, a near-death experience became life affirming.
"A sharing of your good fortune with others," McHugh said.
Just like Christmas.
For flight 1549 survivor Vicki Barnhardt, moments already important are now more meaningful, like making cookies with her kids.
"I'm very quick to realize now that I need to step back a minute, reset priorities, need more time with the family and so on," Barnhardt said. "You realize this could have all been very different."
McHugh's lesson? Hug like you mean it.
"Simple human feeling is all it is, and some people go a long time without getting a hug and I wish that people didn't have to," McHugh said.
It started with a stranger hugging her after the water landing. She's passed it on ever since. She hugged me.
"Merry Christmas," we said to each other.
She hugged NewsChannel 36 photographer Reid Bennett.
"Merry Christmas," they said.
She also hugged her neighbor.
"Merry Christmas," McHugh said.
"Merry Christmas to you. You are giving me goose bumps," the neighbor replied.
It's free, and the results are immediate and benefit both.
McHugh recommends making your hug last another second or two to let people know how much they mean to you.
Two survivors, two lessons learned and shared over Christmas from one miraculous flight.
