Posted on 12/03/2004 2:35:47 PM PST by LouAvul
NEW YORK (AP) -- The charter jet carrying NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol and two of his sons lifted briefly during takeoff, then tipped back and forth before crashing and burning, Ebersol's actress wife said in an interview broadcast Friday.
Susan Saint James, speaking publicly for the first time about the crash, told NBC's "Today" she has spoken with their 21-year-old son, Charles, about what happened at the Montrose, Colorado, airport. The crash killed the couple's 14-year-old son, Teddy, and two crewmen Sunday.
Charles "remembers everything -- that they started to lift and tip to the right," she said. "And the pilot tried to straighten up, and tipped to the left and to the right. The pilots saw the front just get compressed like that, and they ended up outside. They were out on the snow."
Federal investigators say the plane was not de-iced before takeoff, though nothing has been ruled out as a potential cause for the crash. A snowstorm had moved through the area and there was light snow and fog at the time of takeoff.
The plane was supposed to fly to Indiana to drop off Charles at Notre Dame University, then continue on to the East Coast with his father and younger brother. It had stopped in Colorado to drop off Saint James, presumably so she could spent time at the family home near the Telluride ski resort. The family also has a middle son, Willie, 18, who attends the University of Southern California.
She said her husband has a cracked sternum -- "so it is hard for him to sob" -- and doesn't remember much about the crash.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
I saw a few seconds this morning. It's a terrible loss, a young son but for the life of me I don't enderstand the need to go on camera a few days after. Bury your son, mourn him, care for the rest of your family..get strength and support fro relatives and close friends, but why the need to publicly mourn? I don't get it..
My thoughts at the beginning. But I think she genuinely just wanted to say thanks, and let people know what a neat kid this boy was. I was very impressed with the lady. Good people.
You put a brief ad in the paper, then..or wait a few weeks....before doing an interview..I can't agree..
She said (or Tim Russert said) that she gets strength from all the letters people have sent and she wanted to acknowledge. She said Teddy was her life, now he's gone, so she has a lot of time to read all the letters.
I think it's very sad. Doubly so because of the holidays.
They're gouls who think they have the right to intrude on people's grief.
The greatest tragedy is for a parent to bury a child. there is nothing worse..
Agreed. I feel for her - and I don't even have kids. She sounded very devoted to Teddy.
Do you remember "Kate & Allie?"
And the older son is amazing. He had the presence of mind to call his mother right away. She knew the plane had crashed before the staff at the airport knew. He was able to pull his father out of the wreckage before he went into shock. He was very quick-thinking. If he hadn't acted so quickly, Susan St. James would be mourning the loss of her husband and two sons.
Besides, it doesn't seem to be in any bad taste or for publicity - this incident has received a lot of coverage already.
I think that there has been such an outpouring of support (because the boy's mother and father are both public figures) that Susan St. James just wanted to acknowledge it. I've seen a few interviews (before this tragedy) with St. James and have been impressed with what a genuine person she is. Also, I know folks who live in Litchfield, CT (the Ebersols' home base) and they've told me the family really is wholesome: church-going, parade-attending, etc. I was touched when she said they would be reading all the emails and letters they get because "there's nothing else for us to do, now that Teddy's gone." Let's pray for this family.
I think so. It might have been on tv when I was in college so my memories of that show are pretty thin.
I remember McMillan and Wife.
I wish the title said "Susan Saint James." This title is confusing.
Didn't mean to sound like I was holding anything against her.. I wasn't...just commenting that doing that seemed liek the last thing I would want to do in those circumstances. I'm NOT advocating a return to " a lady should only see her name in the papewrs three times in her life..at birth, at her marriage, and her obituary"..but I guess I'm wondering about the public display of mourning...it ain't my style...
In general, I agree with you. The press can be ghouls and why would anyone want to put themselves through that experience on top of the personal loss they've already experienced is beyond me.
However, Ebersol is the NBC Sports director. I'm sure NBC wanted to deal with it because of his role at NBC.
I thought Tim Russert's interview was one of the more sensitive and thoughtful ones I've seen.
And here's how out of touch I can be, I had no idea that St. James and Ebersol were married until I saw the interview this morning. Sigh. I can't keep up sometimes.
Maybe I'd be more comfortable with it if she had waited a few weeks.
Yes, maybe so. I think we're both of a different era. (If we both remember Kate & Allie and McMillan & Wife, then I think that qualifies....)
This may be petty, but I guess Hollywood types need that screen time and the need to perform in front of an audience even when they are grieving. I does seem a bit strange. I guess they think (probably correctly) that most people are really interested in their lives. I'm not. I'm sorry for their loss, but I am no more sorry for them than for the hundreds of non-famous names I see in the obituaries every day. The ones who don't have homes in Telluride, Hollywood, and who know where else. It just reminds me of John Kerry.
Nitpick with the Associated Press: There is no Notre Dame University in the United States that I know of. There is one in Lebanon, one in the Phillipines, and one in Kyoto, Japan. There is, however, a University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN. You would think an international news organization such as the AP would know this.
I am grateful to both of them for the joy they have brought us in their careers. I pray for them, and their children, in this very difficult time. I cannot imagine their pain, and their need to acknowledge the kindness of strangers.
I may not agree with them, politically, but I appreciate the joys they have brought to me, and I wish them every peace, and pray for them, daily.
You are in my prayers, Ebersols - E
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.