Am I Alive?: A Surviving Flight Attendant's Struggle and Inspiring Triumph Over Tragedy

On April 4, 1977, a Southern Airways jet crashed in Georgia, killing most of the passengers and crew. Flight attendant Purl, a survivor, distinguished herself by trying to help those beyond help and by comforting the injured. Yet, she notes, she suffered a psychic trauma which lasted more than four years and resulted in the breakup of her marriage, extensive psychotherapy and a turning to religion for solace. Here, with the aid of the editor of Campus Life magazine, she relives those difficult years until the day when she was able to resume her career. The authors re-create Purl's difficulty in coping with the horrors of the crash and its aftermath and her feelings of guilt and despair. The book should prove inspirational to those who have had to deal with tragedy. Photos. 25,000 ad/promo; author tour. (April 16)