On June 2nd we reported a small plane crash, but had few details. We knew that on June 1^st a Cessna 206 that took off from Merrill Field, in Anchorage, in a high wind and almost immediately veered, clipped a storage building, and landed in the empty offices of an abandoned car lot and caught fire.

We knew that it was a tragic story of a 4 year-old child who died in the accident. Also, it was a story of the triumph of the human spirit as multiple people stopped to render assistance, casting aside their safety to help pull two adults, a teen, and a 2 year-old child alive from the plane which had not only been engulfed in flames but had also ignited the abandoned building it hit.

Well, for almost two months the teenage girl that was pulled from the wreckage, Rachel Zientak, 16, has been at Harborview Medical Center surviving the severe burn injuries she suffered in the airplane accident. Today the courageous young plane crash survivor will finally return to her family home in Houston.

Through all of the pain and sorrow, what the plane crash has revealed is a truly remarkable young lady.

Eyewitnesses say that, as the by-standers ran to pull survivors from the fiery crash, Zientak handed the 2-year-old boy to the helpers first before they went about cutting the belts the free her from the plane.

“I just felt like am I going to die,” said Zientak from her hospital bed. “When I saw the fire, I started screaming.”

The teen said she then began to pray.

Almost a dozen people also worked together to pull the two adults from the plane. They are currently still listed in serious condition in an Oregon hospital.

According to Dr. Nicole Gibran, of the Harborview Burn Unit, the teen suffered severe burns to her legs and feet forcing the partial amputations of her toes. She has already undergone several surgeries and more may be in her future. But, Gibran says she is recovering quickly and she is always upbeat.

“She has been a great patient,” the doctor said.

Zientack’s parents have stayed at her hospital bedside the whole time say they are happy to bring her home.

“It was a joy. I am so happy to be taking her home,” said her father Michael who is a police officer in Houston.

Zientack says that when she returns to Houston she plans to return to the basketball court where she plays as a point-guard.

He mother Tammy says her daughter has already overcome several other obstacles including being diagnosed with epilepsy at 2 and diabetes at age 13.

“She is very strong-willed. She has been through epilepsy. She has been through diabetes. I think she will make it through this,” she said.

Like we said, a truly remarkable young woman. To overcome her burn injuries will take months, perhaps a year of physical therapy. The biggest detriment is the infection during the healing process and after the multiple surgeries. Now that she has gotten through that, now comes learning how to walk again and living with her new disability. As if she needed another obstacle in life. It sounds as if she has enough character to overcome anything. We wish her the best.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident then you need skilled representation to assure that you receive the compensation you deserve. Call Phillips Webster for your free consultation

Learn More About:

• Aviation and Airline Accidents
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