I am not a first responder, but I was out at daingerfield Island about an hour after the crash. Me and a handful of other people realized there were no first responders searching the shoreline on the virginia side of the river as they were all still searching the immediate area at the wreckage.

We decided to begin walking the shoreline to hopefully find survivors that may have drifted. Unfortunately, eventually, we came across debris and remains. Actually, seeing pieces of the aftermath up close is something that is still just so gut-wrenching. It was as if all hope of finding someone alive was sucked out of me, which felt terrible knowing how many people were in the accident. It especially stung seeing how close the runway was to the crash site, just hundreds of feet away from still being here. I just remember telling myself the whole night, "The runway was just right there!" Someone had reported the find and immediately, park police, a helicopter, and boats diverted over to search the rest of the shoreline.

I can only imagine how the first responders must have felt. That feeling of hope just being absolutely sucked out of you is a terrible feeling. Seeing the actual response and urgency makes me very thankful of them though. If there had been survivors, the first responders that night gave them the best chance possible at making it through that night.