'A Sudden, Terrible Stillness'

so when are you planning to sell the rights to make a movie of this? Definitely a writer.....

Wow this is what people have turned into?? People cant just be happy everyone got out. Its amazing how so many of you can be so cruel considering what happened. EVERYONE got out and that negates all of your negative comments. You people know there are more than one exit and this was not the only one being utilized right??

Happy Holidays JTilly and passengers of 1404, God bless you all

What I find ridiculous is that people think this is a scam because the gentleman is a good writer and depicted the story like a screenplay. Obviously what happened is a man who is a gifted writer found himself in an emergency and was able to replay it with words. We wouldn't think it surprising if Stephen King were on a similar flight that he could recreate it as well. Merry Christmas to you and your family, Mr. Tilly. Thank God you are safe.

I'm so glad that Jeb AND all the passengers are safe. One never knows what exactly one will do when faced with sudden trauma. The comments people have made are so ridiculous, but they do have freedom of speech, after all. I now see that JTilly has replied. And for JTilly: I hope you do not give any more of your energy to ignorant people like this. My first thought was: "I wonder what I would have done. I'm so glad I was not tested." The media is always out to get a story and they are always fickle too, it's the name of the game. Jeb, I hope you won't get sucked into publicity for the sake of publicity. Wish you and your family and everyone else's families Happy Holidays. I've had a death in my family 4 years ago on New Year's eve and it will never allow me to truly enjoy the holidays again. So grateful that all of you were spared and are alive and well. Thanksgivings are due!!!

Who cares if he got his bag. If I had a small bag with valuables and had the presence of mind, would grab it also. If it became a problem then I would leave it.

I decided a long time ago that anything can happen to any body and when something like this happens we feel for
the onves involved and are thankful it was us or our loved ones.

I would have gotten a rental car and the h#*!! out of there! Forget the flight.

That is one of the stupidest things you can do is take time to grab something. It's all about getting out of there as fast as possible. You hold other people up by trying to take your belongings. If you want to take something off a burning plane wait and be last off. People are stupid and Kimi big benifit because he had his cell phone. Must be one hell of a important phone call after that. This is could have caused someone there life or a few people.

One more comment - it is despicable that so many would be so negative towards our survivor. Again, as a former Flight Attendant, I need to stress the importance of following Flight Attendant instructions - it truly can save your life. Pay attention to the demonstration before take-off - check where the exits are (more than one exit close to your seat in the event one or more are blocked due to aircraft damage or fire) and read the instruction card. When, God forbid, something happens, listen to the Flight Attendants, they are very well trained to evacuate in 90 seconds. Thankfully this horrible accident was successful in getting all off safely.

I decided long time ago that anything can happen to anybody and when things like this happen we feel for the
people involved and be thankful that it wasn't us or any of our loved ones involved..

To those who commented that this read too much like fiction...did it not occur to you that this man could be a writer? Many people are! Google Jeb Tilly. He was a a former magazine editor and currently works at an agency., so of course his writing would look professional.

Thank you for sharing your horrible ordeal. You have a gift in your ability to communicate so well. As a former Flight Attendant, this is the type of situation you train so well for and hope and pray you never have to rely on your training. In this case it appears that the Flight Attendants did a fantastic job and the passengers followed their directions. The FAA mandates a 90 second evacuation - and in this case they could only evacuate on one side of the aircraft, so even more amazing that everyone survived! My hat is off to all - crew and passengers! Merry Christmas!

Why would someone fabricate this story? Just because the narrarator is obviously educated and well-written does not mean this is fiction. Wow, to survive a tragedy at Christmas and be accused of lying about it...how offensive and cold-hearted. Let us be thankful they all survived; it could have been much, much worse.

wow is that scary. im glad ya'll are all still alive. yea i dont know if i would be getting on a plane right away after that. would still be to shaken up. and to all the people who are trying to say it sounds to much like a book well people that went through something like that can remember things step by step. he will probably remember that very clearly for the rest of his life. how many of you still remember 911 i still remember exactly where i was and how i felt, and what we were all saying. anyways im glad you guys are all alright. hopefully they let ya'll know what happened so maybe you all could rest easier.

OMG I still have tears running down my face. For everyone of those individuals on that plane. God Bless and Merry Christmas. To the mother of the toddlers thanks god you have the courage to get back on that plane.., your stronger than me!! To the gentleman who wrote this story??? Prefect story of the events!!Thank you for sharing

Who are all of you hypercritical pompous nincompoops to criticize this man's account of what just happened to him?
Stuff it, people.

Thank you for sharing your ordeal with intelligence. You could, indeed, write a short story regarding your harrowing experiences. God was looking out for everyone on that plane. It will be a Merry Christmas for the crew and passengers of Flight 1404.

Wow, you all have some amazingly vivid imaginations. You must be sitting there thinking that his bag was in some unreachable place that took minutes to wrestle out of the wreckage. Remind me to never put a story from my life up for scrutiny of the general public. How quick we are to judge. Of course you would first jump to the most judgmental and irrational scenario rather than believing that this man probably had quick and easy access to his bag. I think the season calls for us to simply be thankful that no one was killed. Even the child in a deep sleep was spared. Each of those families is saying a special prayer at their Christmas table. Thank you, Jeb, for sharing your account of what happened. I only hope that these inconsiderate morons do not stop you from sharing in the public forum again. You truly have the gift of word.