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Arland D. Williams Jr.
AJ
Local Heroes & Everyday Saviors Rank #32 in Local Heroes & Everyday Saviors Global Rank #619

Arland D. Williams Jr.

Arland D. Williams Jr. repeatedly passed the rescue lifeline to five fellow passengers in the frozen Potomac River until he drowned.

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Local Heroes & Everyday Saviors Standing #32 Rank

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The Saga of Arland D. Williams Jr.
2 min read
Category
Local Heroes & Everyday Saviors
Era / Tenure
Active Era
Leaderboard Rank
#32 in Local Heroes & Everyday Saviors
Verified Hearts
40,000 Hearts
ORIGINS & FORMATIVE YEARS

Roots, Upbringing & Early Influences

Born in Mattoon, Illinois in 1935, Arland Dean Williams Jr. was a decorated US Army veteran and mild-mannered federal bank examiner who lived a quiet, dedicated professional life.

THE STRUGGLE & HARDSHIPS

Facing Adversity, Rejections & The Grind

On January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the frozen 14th Street Bridge and plunged into the ice-covered Potomac River in Washington, D.C. amidst a ferocious blizzard, killing 73 people on impact and leaving six injured survivors clinging to the tail section in thirty-degree water.

Key Milestone & Career Defining Moment
Williams was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard Gold Lifesaving Medal, and the 14th Street Bridge was renamed the 'Arland D.
— Official Historical Record & Archive
MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH & WORKS

Landmark Works & Career Breakthrough

When a Park Police rescue helicopter arrived with a single rescue line and flotation ring, Williams caught the line. Instead of securing himself, he handed the ring to flight attendant Kelly Duncan. When the helicopter returned, he again passed the lifeline to Joe Stiley, then to Patricia Felch, and then to Priscilla Tirado. On the final return run, the helicopter crew found that the tail section had sunk beneath the ice, and Williams had succumbed to hypothermia and drowned.

SUPREME SUCCESS & LEGACY

Global Stature, Accolades & Enduring Legacy

Williams was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard Gold Lifesaving Medal, and the 14th Street Bridge was renamed the 'Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge' in his honor. His selfless sacrifice stands as the quintessential definition of quiet moral heroism under ultimate pressure.

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