# Dave Sanderson

He Was the Last Person Off the Plane That Crashed Into the Hudson — Then He Got Back on a Plane the Next Morning

Canonical: https://mornings.network/shows/center-stage/guests/dave-sanderson

## Biography

Dave Sanderson is a crisis leadership expert and keynote speaker who gained international recognition as the last passenger off US Airways Flight 1549, famously known as the "Miracle on the Hudson." After changing to an earlier flight on January 15, 2009, Sanderson found himself in freezing Hudson River water helping fellow passengers evacuate the sinking aircraft, staying inside for approximately seven minutes to ensure others made it to safety.

With over a decade of experience as head of security for renowned life strategist Tony Robbins, Sanderson brought a unique mindset to the crisis that emphasized response over reaction. His background in state management and decision-making frameworks proved crucial during those life-altering moments. Rather than succumbing to trauma, Sanderson transformed his experience into a mission of service and gratitude.

Sanderson has become a leading voice in post-traumatic growth, teaching the distinction between those who grow through trauma versus those who become stuck in it. His "1549 Decision Framework" helps individuals and organizations make critical decisions under extreme pressure. He authored the book "Moments Matter" and delivered a widely-viewed TEDx Talk on post-traumatic growth.

Driven by a simple Red Cross blanket he received after the rescue, Sanderson has raised over $14.8 million for the American Red Cross. He continues to speak globally about crisis leadership, resilience, and the power of process-driven thinking. The next morning after the crash, despite having his underwear frozen to his skin and requiring five hours to restore his body temperature, Sanderson got back on an airplane, demonstrating the principles he now teaches about facing fears and moving forward through adversity.

## Links

- linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredavesanderson/
- youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSandersonKeynoteSpeaker
- website: https://davesandersonspeaks.com

## Transcript

Most people don't get a warning before
life changes. One normal day becomes the
day everything splits in half. Maybe it
was a phone call. Maybe it was a
hospital room. Maybe it was the moment
your plan disappeared. That's when you
find out what you actually do under
pressure, not what you hope you'd do.
Dave Sanderson had that [music] moment
after changing to an earlier flight
because work finished sooner than
expected. He boarded US Airways flight
1549
as a business traveler trying to get
home. Then the plane hit the Hudson and
the cabin [music] started filling with
freezing water. At the exit, Dave heard
his late mother's voice. She told him to
do the right thing. So, he stayed
inside. He helped others move forward
while the aircraft kept sinking around
him. Dave stood in that [music] water
for about 7 minutes becoming the last
passenger off what became the miracle on
the Hudson. His body started giving
[music] out. Then he heard his mother
again refusing to let him quit. At the
hospital, his underwear had frozen to
his skin. Doctors spent hours bringing
his body temperature back. And the next
morning, he got on another plane. Not
someday, not when it felt safe. The next
morning. One Red Cross blanket stayed
with him. That one act of care became a
14.8 million dollar mission of
gratitude. Today, Dave teaches
post-traumatic growth, the 1549 [music]
decision framework, and how people make
decisions when pressure is highest.
Dave, welcome to the lab. We're grateful
you're here and we're ready to hear what
that day really taught you.
Johnny Johnny, today's guest survived
the miracle on the Hudson and it clearly
sounds like he's survived his balls
being iced for a long time. Coming up,
Dave Sanderson is welcome to the lab
with Keith and John. Good morning, Dave.
Hey, man. Hey, I I love the Robert Plant
stuff, man. It brought me back to my my
youth. Thank you.
>> Yes. Where are you joining us from
today, pal? Charlotte, North Carolina
today. Ah, I love Charlotte. Love me a
Charlotte. I've spent a little bit of
time in Charlotte. What a great town.
Welcome to our show. Excited to be here
with you guys. Thank you for having me
today. Yes, so let's get into it, dude.
You You survived the plane crash,
period, point blank period. Let's hit
that [ __ ] That's it.
What? Like what the hell, man? Honest to
God. Yeah. Yeah, I was I mean, you know,
you go through something like this, you
think you survived the the crash, and
all of a sudden you got another thing
you got to face that's called water
coming into the plane. So, I I tell
people there was really two different
distinct situations going on. Yeah. It's
all the credit getting it down, but then
it was a team effort for everybody to
get out. So, real quick, what what is
the
very interested I've no idea when I ask
this question. If a plane is going to
crash,
right, what are the odds of it getting
to the point where people can actually
[ __ ] get out like your situation?
Very, very low odds. I mean, this is the
first time in history it's happened like
this. I mean, you know, the captain gets
all the credit cuz I mean, his years of
training gliding a plane, no power
whatsoever, getting it down. I mean,
it's it was an amazing feat just to get
it get it to a Normally, it would have
just hit the [ __ ] water and
disintegrated, everybody would have
died. That would have been the norm?
Well, the norm would have been either
tipping into New York City or tipping
into New Jersey City. And all of a
sudden, now you have a bigger challenge
than than what would happen that day.
Yeah. So, if if someone could get it to
the water, the chances go If the pilot,
excuse me, can get it to the water, the
chances go up. You got it right there.
So, now now you at least have a shot. At
least you have a shot. Okay.
Got you. So, he just he kept the he kept
the game he kept the game playing for
you. That's perfect, okay? Right on. So,
Dave, I'm a I'm a big fan of the moment
before the moment. You're on the plane,
and you're just it's a you you've you've
flown a gazillion times in your entire
life, just routine. You're probably on
your BlackBerry or your phone at the
time, right? And then and then and then
and then it strikes the bird.
Yep. Exactly.
>> What were you doing before it struck the
bird? And and when it struck the bird,
what what kind of reaction did you have
in your brain? Great question. I wasn't
paying attention, man. I was reading a
magazine. You know, I thought I knew
everything on a plane.
>> Back in the olden days, the magazine. I
had a magazine, right? I mean, I had
magazines in my briefcase, reading a
magazine. Yeah. But when he hit it,
that's when I looked up and looked out
the window, and that's when I saw fire
coming out of
>> Were you on that side of the window,
Dave, or were you on the other side? I
was on the left side, four rows behind
where the where the engine was, so I
actually saw the smoke and the fire
coming out of the engine. Yeah. Did did
it did the plane, excuse [snorts] me,
did the birds hit both sides or just the
one side? Both sides simultaneously.
That's Oh, [ __ ] It was a massive flock
of [ __ ] birds. Yeah. Yeah, I think
they pulled out eight out of one and
five out of the other, somewhere in that
in that range. Correct. Wow. Talk about
Talk about what it feels like to be
scared. And what I mean by that question
is not the obvious way that I asked that
question. You follow what I'm saying,
Dave? Because in that moment, you're not
scared. In that moment, you're wondering
what the [ __ ] is going on, and you're
trying to delineate your emotions. Talk
about the emotions in that exact moment
for me, if you don't mind. It's exactly
correct. I mean, at that point, you
don't have time to be scared. You got to
start thinking about what's my next
play. I talk about all the time, what's
my best next move? That's what I was
thinking about. So, you know, I I I I
had to figure out, hey, if we survive,
what am I going to do?
So, hold on. Hold on. Hold on. So, you
you you had the mindset to to ask the
two letters of if? Yep. Most definitely.
I Cuz I don't know. I mean, I I as I'm a
business guy, right? I play sports. It's
like you always have to plan for the
future. Yes. So, that's my I was my
thought. And it's like, you know, hey,
listen, I don't know if this if this
guy's going to be able to get it down or
not candidly.
But, you know, if he doesn't, then,
candidly, this game's over anyway. Yeah.
>> But, if he does, what am I going to do?
And my best next move was my thought it
was get to the aisle, get up and get
out. That's all I could think about. Get
to the aisle, get up and get out.
Johnny?
Yeah. No, I mean, at that point, I'm I'm
to myself, [ __ ]
You know, water, you just landed me in
my [ __ ] crypt tonight, man. I need a
couple extra [ __ ] life jackets, what
I'm thinking.
And Dave, you know, I I I I've done my
research, I've read I've read a number
of things about your your your
situation. I've read a number of I I
followed the story. I'm I'm a news
junkie. I followed it. I I I I watched
it happen. You say consistently, Johnny,
he says this consistently, I'm not a
hero.
The real heroes were the first
responders. What does a hero mean to
Dave Sanderson?
Yeah, those are the people who show up
when all stuff's breaking loose in your
life and give you this give you the
certainty to do what you need to do at
that moment. But I would argue you were
in that moment, Dave. I would argue that
you were. When you asked those two if
[clears throat] in your brain you said
if as a leader, when you asked that let
when you asked that question if, you
took into account everybody sitting next
to you. That's what I hear you say.
Well, you know, I I was very blessed. I
grew up in a place where everybody took
care of everybody. You know, it's a
small town outside Cincinnati, where my
mindset was, you know, I I I survived.
Does anybody else need help? And that's
when I climbed to the back of the plane
to see if anybody needed help. That's
That's how it happened. Simple as that,
eh?
>> I got to turn I just realized I didn't
turn my ventilation system on. I'm going
to get an alarm. Give me 10 seconds to
turn this on.
We're hanging with Dave Sanderson this
morning, the survivor of the miracle of
the Hudson, very, very grateful to have
David with us this morning. Dave, you
share a birthday
with Captain Sullenberger.
Dude, like you you know, I'm a big fan,
I know Johnny is as well, of things
happen for a reason. The universe,
things just seem to happen. When when
you when when that moment happened and
life started to go on, when did you
realize you guys shared a birthday and
and and and how does that Because you
can't write a better story, Dave. Yeah.
Yeah, it was interesting It's very
That's one of the interesting things
that came out about a year later. We
were
a lot of us were up in New York City. We
were launching a book,
called Brace for Impact, and all of a
sudden we're on all these TV. Then
someone said, you know, about his
birthday coming up, which was my
birthday, which we're 10 years apart.
So, it was like it was very very ironic.
And both of our our our signs are
Aquarius. So, water, right? Yeah.
Interesting. Interesting. Johnny will
appreciate this, too. So, not only did
Dave crash into the ocean, I'm sorry,
into the Hudson. I I think Anderson that
often when we when we face a fear, we're
scared to go back. He survives the plane
crash,
but he chooses not to remain out of the
water. He goes back in time to go swim
with the Navy SEALs in the Hudson. Dave,
talk about that, combating your fears.
Yeah, that's exactly what it was. And it
was really it was two different
missions, guys. First mission was I
really Once I found out that there was a
22 people commit suicide a day in the
military, I I was I was blown away. I
said, "This in the in the United States,
how can this be?" So, I wanted to raise
visibility and money. But the second
thing was really for my kids, to show
them how to face your fears. You have to
get back. You have to do it. And I
wanted to show my kids is that, you
know, listen, we're all going to go
through stuff in our lives, right? No
life is ever going to get through to see
the sunshine. But you got to step up and
face it. And that that that situation,
going back into the Hudson, where I
almost died, not only showed my kids,
but hopefully other people that, you
know, if you have the mental state, the
mindset, [clears throat] you can
accomplish anything. Yeah. So, did So,
on that level, brother, I mean, when
this whole thing, [clears throat] very
traumatic,
but you also strike me as a guy that
would that as you kind of responded the
way that you did, you you really
responded more than reacted. You know,
you didn't react and freak out. When
when the whole thing was over, did it
give you some sort of like a trauma, or
were you What was the next You know, I
imagine some people were [ __ ] signing
up for the closest therapist they can
get their hands on. Yeah, I was There's
a lot of people who needed that therapy,
and fortunately for us, US Airways
offered it to all of us, but I didn't
take it. I didn't need it. I That's what
I was going to strike me like it almost
makes me wonder why, going back to face
your fear, you already whooped your
fear. Yeah, but you know, it's
you may or may not know I had 10 years
of experience being head of security for
a guy by the name of Tony Robbins. Oh,
okay.
>> be able to be with Tony. I got to be
around with him and his people, but the
mindset it takes, right?
>> Yes.
>> all the state management and all the
things he teaches. So, I you know, I was
I was already in that mode that you
know, you know, I was not you you hit it
perfectly. I it was it was it was more
it wasn't a reaction, it was a response.
It's like, okay, we you know, I faced
stuff before. What is that why my book
is called Moments Matter? I I'm very
familiar with that. It framed you for
that moment.
>> I got a lot of I got a lot of Robin's
seeds planted in my head, so for sure,
you know.
And Johnny, you talk about what's your
slogan? Every good tragedy
No, you're close, better though. Don't
let a good tragedy go to waste. Because
you because if I take that John to Dave
here, Dave has a TEDx Talk. And and
Johnny, it's about post-traumatic
growth. The idea, John, that trauma does
doesn't leave scars, but it can be a
springboard for acceleration. The same
thing you talk about Anderson. Most of
the world talks about PTSD, Sanderson's
flipped it. He talks about the
difference between people who grow
through trauma or the people who get
stuck in it. Dave, talk about that
because that's a fine line, man, and
that fine line has a lot to do with
empathy and compassion. Because somebody
would say, "OH, YOU DON'T have any
compassion or empathy because you don't
[ __ ] deal with my tragedy." How do
you How do you stand on that fine line,
Dave? Yeah, thank you for asking because
I didn't even know this is really you
know, I'm not going on my mind drive. I
was interviewed for AARP magazine, and a
guy basically revealed to me. He said,
"Why Why didn't you go through this
while other people did?" Yeah. So, what
all I did is really put together in my
thoughts, and that's what my TED Talk is
about. The strategies that I used to
grow out instead of going through a
depression. And the first thing I had to
do is of course change my state, the way
I move and my body, but the second thing
was the meaning that I attached to it. A
lot of people's meaning is our tragedy
is devastation. My meaning was it was a
blessing.
And that meaning as as John may know is
he's a Tony Robbins guy is your emotion.
So if I can put myself in that meaning
and that emotion and that's a blessing,
then I'm here to serve at a bigger
level. That's how that's the part first
two steps of the strategy to get out of
a traumatic life experience to be able
to grow from instead of going to a
different direction.
Yeah, I mean it's [clears throat] it's
kind of crazy when when you
do what when you understand first what
you're speaking of and what people do
and they practice a little bit, it's
pretty crazy how
you take to it because it it [ __ ]
works number one, but it feels good. And
when I mean I'm a big I'm a I'm a
follower of feeling, man. When something
feels right to me, I keep chasing that.
So I'm a chaser of how I feel.
And you know, this whole thing you're
describing coming from and you know,
goodness gracious. I think you would
have to think you agree. Tony Robbins
probably influenced more people in a
positive way than any other single
person on the planet at this moment.
What do you think? I totally agree. I've
been I've been with Tony around the
world several times and I've seen the
impact he has and the impact he still
has and he's still growing. And that's
why I think people who and I think one
thing that Tony's always told told me
years ago always has wanted. So he wants
other people to actually do and take
action on the stuff he teaches. I mean
99% of people go to the events and get
happy and that's great. They go home and
go back.
Yes, one of one of my
>> And go and do something with it. And
that's the 1% that actually
[clears throat] grow
you know, from whatever the situation
they're in. One of my clients actually,
you know, this is a few years back.
>> [clears throat]
>> I had totally changed his life and he
basically he basically gave me a
present, paid for everything. He took me
to one of Robbins's things over in Fiji,
that little group in Fiji. And it was
like a week long deal.
And [clears throat] I mean I had
listened to him talk a ton on videos,
but the the thing that was really
hammered down hard in person, what
you're describing is, "Look, none of
this matters if you go home and do the
same [ __ ] you're doing." Yes. You know,
and so, you know, that's that that
structure of of, you know, for me it's
all about systems. I I I keep
>> Exactly. It's processes. Exactly right.
>> Yeah, I mean, I got a I got a [ __ ]
system for putting lotion on when I get
out of the shower, for Christ's sake.
[laughter]
I got a system for brushing my teeth,
you know.
Yeah. Go ahead, Dave. Please.
>> well, what I'm I'm I'm glad you went
there, John, cuz it's one of the things
that I talk about how process saves
lives.
If you don't have a process for your
health, you're going to get sick. You
don't have a process for your money,
you're going broke. You don't have a
process for your relationships
relationships, you break up. So,
I I I'm in alignment with exactly what
you said. You better have processes
throughout your life and every part of
your life. Or, you know, like Tony talks
about that wheel, and you have that one
chunk in the wheel, and it's not going
to turn.
You better be able to have these
processes laid out, so all I've really
done is taken all those years of
experience, those moments, put processes
in my life for all these different
areas, so when that time hit,
I've I'm I think I was mentally
prepared. You're never prepared for a
plane crash. I really don't think that.
No. I think but but when you have to
face it, it's like, now you're at least
in the mental state to say, "You know
what?
I can handle this, and you know, and
this is how we're going to handle it,
and first thing we're going to do is get
ourselves in the proper state state of
mind."
>> Keith John and Dave Dave Sanderson,
survivor of the Hudson River crash 1549
this morning, hanging out with myself
John Anderson this morning. Mornings
with Keith John and Friends. Dave, are
you a man of faith?
I am a man of faith.
How did your faith come into question
when that moment happened? An
interesting question, cuz the first
interview that I did with a magazine was
a gentleman by the name of Rick Warren.
He was a minister out in California. And
in in the article it was called God's
hands were all over us.
Cuz I really believe [clears throat]
that day It about a bigger mission, a
bigger vision.
I wasn't supposed to be on that plane. I
was scheduled on a 5:00 flight, right?
All of a sudden you have the right
captain and the right seat at the right
time. Yes. There's too many things that
have to have had to happen
sequentially to make that thing happen.
>> to be on that plane. You weren't
supposed to be Johnny, you weren't
supposed to be You weren't supposed to
be on that plane. No. No, I gave up a
first class seat at 5:00 for seat 15A, a
flight 549 on January 15th.
It was brother it was supposed to
happen. Yep. Yeah. Part of your plan,
brother. I think it I think everybody on
that plane was on there for a reason and
a purpose. Everybody was on there for a
reason.
>> The question is did they did they
realize that and have they used that to
their benefit? Uh yeah, I don't question
or judge anybody. They got to do what
they got to do and you know, I I bless
everybody who got that got out of that
plane cuz it was a team effort.
Well, no, yeah, no judgment by any
means. I'm just Do people realize this
you know, this actually should have been
a catalyst for them to do something
great? Yeah. Coming up in about 8
minutes we've got Briana Bass, Johnny
myself and Johnny Anderson. Why
high-performing men have the worst sex
lives? Maybe Dave's going to stick
around for that one coming up at the top
of the hour with with Briana Bass.
Johnny, so Dave has raised $14.8 million
for the American Red Cross all because
Anderson
a volunteer handed him a blanket when he
reached dry land.
So Anderson, talk about that. You get
the blanket and you're like, "Oh, I got
to go raise some money." Yeah, no, I
didn't Well, it wasn't exactly like
that. Cuz I was frozen, man, and they
handed me a blanket. I didn't even put
the blanket on. They gave me a blanket,
but that became the symbol for me. You
know what? Someone's there when you with
you and for you when all steps breaking
loose in your life. And so I
wanted to give back some way, somehow
give back. So I was the first time I did
it was in Charlotte. I helped them raise
$120,000 here in Charlotte. And all of a
sudden that opened up to other you know,
parts of the Red Cross where I could
serve. And that way I could give back to
them for all those people they serve
every single moment of every single day.
Yeah, that's incredible, man. That's
absolutely incredible. Johnny.
I mean, I think it's a
This is like a
I think for everybody listening that's
that's and I've already said it. This is
like a perfect example of, you know, the
sometimes the biggest [ __ ] sandwich that
doesn't seem like it should have any
purpose. There's a purpose there. You
just got to you got to look a little
deeper. Well, then Anderson, taking
taking what you just said to the next
level.
So,
that So, it happens to him. Underwear's
frozen to his skin. Probably sack and
balls are just all on his body. So, he's
just he's he's just all all up in arms.
And get this though, right? So, it takes
him 5 hours to bring the body back to
temperature. The next morning, Anderson,
he doesn't get in a car, doesn't get in
a train, doesn't get in a bus. He get
back on an airplane. So, so Dave
Sanderson, so the next morning, not even
24 hours later, you mentally had the
fortitude to go, "Okay, I got to get
back up on the horse again and get going
again." Yeah, that's pretty much what
happened. Yeah, sorry. That's pretty
much what happened. And you know, I I
wanted to get home and the only way I
could get home was on a plane. Yes. So,
and so fortunately for me that, you
know, my person from the US Airways, my
liaison, Doreen, who I love her. She
took great care of me.
Put me in a situation where I was well I
was well protected. I was well
protected. You know, the
flight attendants took care of me. The
captain knew who I was, you know, and so
but I have to admit, it was when we hit
the 3,000-ft mark
when we were taking off, that's when it
all rushed back into my body. That's
when Really? Yeah, I mean, that's when,
you know, the birds hit, right? 3,000
ft. Well, you could feel that [ __ ]
literally when you say rushed back into
your body, that's [ __ ] chemistry
coming out of your brain just [ __ ]
like
that must have been like, "Holy shit."
Yep, it was. That that was I tell people
that was the moment that really, you
know, at that point two things. Number
one,
I can't believe I survived this thing.
And second, how lucky am I to be able to
do this? Be able to get back on a plane
and being able to you know give go see
my family again. So it was a moment of
gratitude but also like you said John it
was a moment of holy crap. I can't
believe what I can't believe what
happened yesterday because it happened
at the same place. And you know with
here cuz what how here's the back story.
The captain and I had a conversation
before I got on the plane. He said when
we hit 3,000 ft I'm going to ring the
bell so you and I will know where this
happened yesterday. Oh. So he knew
already. All right. How did you feel
about that actually? But how did you
feel about him doing that? Like to
acknowledge that? Was that kind of like
what the [ __ ] you doing that for? Well I
wasn't even thinking man. I was like
give me this seat put my hoodie up like
the Unabomber man. I just locked her
down right I said get me out of here.
But then I heard the ding ding ding. I
looked out and I'm like
this is exactly where this happened
yesterday. I'm like whoa. Oh my
goodness. That was the moment it rushed
back into me. That was the exact second.
So here's the question brother. So
I'm going to make a comparison
>> [clears throat]
>> to experience that I had that's not even
close but it's the closest thing I can
think of, right? So when I was touring
in Japan and when I was wrestling I
would be gone sometimes 3 weeks and one
of the things that was like
it was like the most amazing [ __ ]
feeling
is walking out that [ __ ] the plane's
landed back to San Francisco and I'm
walking out to see my [ __ ] family and
keep in mind
I didn't almost die. I was just gone for
3 [ __ ] weeks. They knew I was coming
home [ __ ] safe.
But just to see them was like
I mean it was like oh I I can think
about that right now and I can feel the
[ __ ]
the the the chemistry that
oxytocin all the [ __ ] flooding my
bloodstream and I got this tingly
feeling. What the [ __ ] was it like for
you when you walked out and you your
family has seen all of this? You're
getting back on another [ __ ] plane.
And they in their minds they're thinking
[ __ ] till he comes walking out I
almost don't believe this. What was that
[ __ ] like to I mean, I'm just pimples
just [ __ ] asking the question. Well,
thank thank you for that analogy cuz,
you know, fortunately for me that my
family brought them down to the gate and
be able so they could actually see me as
I walked off the plane. And yeah, it was
very it was very emotional. I think it
was just my third daughter is the one
who really probably the most emotional
[clears throat] cuz she didn't think I
was coming back.
So, I think that was the moment I think
it hit everybody that wow, you know,
we're we're all not only blessed, but
man, I can't believe
what we're going through right now,
right? And but God's God's hands are all
over us. That's why I named that article
that cuz it would He has hands are all
over us. Well, you know what strikes me
too, gentlemen, is how many and I just
I'm I'm asking the question as an open
question.
Like Dave, I wonder how many
survivors out there might have anger at
you and the survivors because they've
lost because they have had fam
They've They've had family members that
didn't survive a plane crash. Do you
follow what I'm saying? So, I wonder how
many people out there have this
this this this anger or this resentment
for like, why did they survive when my
family was taken away? And I'm not
trying to make it negative, but you
follow what I'm saying?
Listen, I appreciate that question cuz
first interview I did in Canada was for
a for the TV station in Montreal. Yeah.
It was shortly after the plane crashed
in the the Buffalo plane crash and when,
you know, the Buffalo plane down to the
plane.
>> Yes. Yes. And they asked me the first
question is asked the question, why why
do you think you survived and they
didn't? Oh. And I was not ready for that
question whatsoever. I thought it was
going to be more of, you know,
analytical. And I all I could get out
was it wasn't my time. Yeah.
>> It wasn't my time. And, you know, maybe
God had a different plan for your
families or different in different
people. I don't know. I'm not there, but
I know for this this is a fact this
wasn't my time because I shouldn't be
>> [clears throat]
>> right now. Yeah.
>> I mean, my body was like you said, 5
hours it took them to warm my body up. I
mean, they had to cut my underwear off
because it was frozen to my body. Yeah.
I mean, there was a lot of things going
on that people really don't know about
in the back story, right? That you don't
ever get out to the public, right?
>> Yes. Yes. Yeah. Dave, what scares you
today? You You have been through hell.
What scares you today?
Well, you know, I I don't know if
anything scares me, but what worries me
is where how my kids' mindsets are going
into this world right now cuz they're
going through crap that I never had to
go through.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> I mean, I grew up in the '70s,
right? Where Vietnam War was the big
thing, gas shortages were a big thing.
Yes. And now these kids are going
through all this other stuff. At least I
had parents and grew up in a time where
you had to face stuff. These kids have
never had to face it.
And now they're having to face They
haven't had to face COVID, right? How do
we go get back community? They have
black bear or they don't
>> Well, that's the thing, you know, it's
it's like I I told all my kids and I'm
like, you know, I prepared you for a
world that I was kind of that that that
I could see was coming. A lot of this
[ __ ] I couldn't see coming, so I I I
wish that I had prepared you better for
some of this, but [ __ ] it was all new
to me, too. Spot on, man. Spot on cuz
you know, one thing I talk about is how
I was prepared is my my dad and my mom
grew up in the depression. So, I already
had that mindset. Well, that's the
mindset I grew up with, right? And
you're exactly right. I wasn't ready for
having all the social media stuff going
15,000 hours an hour, right? So,
[clears throat] so I think it's I think
that's the biggest thing I worry about
is my kids and the next generation.
Yeah. Coming up hot, why high-performing
men have the worst sex life featuring
Brandon Bass, myself, and John Anderson
coming up in a few moments. We're
wrapping up with today's guest, Dave
Sanderson, survivor of Flight 1549 over
on the Hudson. Dave, I got I got I got
maybe a big last question for you, if I
may. Sure.
After 16 years of telling your story,
you've relived it on stage non-stop,
relived it on shows like myself and
Johnny non-stop. May- Maybe Maybe this
is a good one, maybe it's not.
Is there a part of January 15, 2009 that
you have never still told anyone? Uh I
just shared a little bit and you sort of
shared a little bit in your intro about
what was really going on the hospital.
And what really doesn't get out a lot is
yeah, they had to cut my underwear off
and all that, but what I found out
later, you know, when I went back to the
hospital, we did an event for the
hospital and thank thank them. And what
I found out from the nurses, uh, nurse
Bautista is my hero. She's my hero
because she she's the one who stayed
with me and took care of me. What I
found out, there were a couple times
>> [clears throat]
>> during that during that episode that I
almost I almost lost it. I was almost
gone. Wow. I I did not know that cuz you
know, you're just going through trying
to figure out stuff, but I didn't know
how close I was two two times. One in
the triage center and one in the
hospital that that could have gone a
different direction. Really? Because you
were so cold? Yeah, so cold. My body was
so cold. Everything was shutting down. I
They told me basically everything south
of my heart was shutting down. My abs,
everything. So, next stop up was what?
My heart, my lungs.
>> Yeah, you were you were one step away.
And and Dave, I want to be tactical for
a quick second if I may. And it's and
I'm it's it's it's an obvious question
to you, not to me. But is it because you
guys were like so I know the plane was
in the water. Was Were you You were
standing waist-in-water for such a long
time? Is that what it was, Dave? Yeah, I
was in I was inside door you know, 10
10F. Yes. I was waist-deep in 36° water,
correct.
>> Yeah, for for how long was you guys
there? I was in the I was in there 7
minutes. Everybody else was out except
for the captain, of course. The captain
was the last person out the plane. Wow.
Johnny Colson comments free before we
ask for some Colson comments from Dave.
You know, I I just think that you the
position you've taken on this is exactly
what the world needs, brother. So, good
[ __ ] Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank thank God
I'm honored to be able to do it. And
this I think right now the world is so
much disruption going on the world right
now with AI and everything else. I think
what thing that we can do right now is,
you know, leaders is get people
certainty in an uncertain time. So, if I
can give people certainty through my
story and other things I've
[clears throat] learned,
we can do some good.
And you, brother, you were you were
prepped [clears throat] for this, you
know, you were involved with the right
people to put you in the right mindset
to respond rather than to react and then
carry this and show everyone I mean it
was you could see everything aligned.
You were see it was supposed to be you.
Well, John, that's you hit you perfectly
and going back to our Tony Robbins days,
one of the things first things he
teaches all of us is proximity is power.
I would tell people put yourself around
people who've actually done something.
You know, instead of who actually have
accomplished something cuz they can take
you in a whole different direction.
That's why I'm doing what I'm doing now
with my new company and with our new
brand. This is what you're doing right
now in this show right here. You're
trying to take people to a place where
they may never have have thought to go.
Get proximity to these people and watch
what happens. Your life will take off.
Today was a 30-minute lesson in
leadership because it started with two
letters if.
And if you guys go back to the start of
the conversation, as Dave was going
through a situation with the plane was
crashing, he wasn't calling people, he
wasn't thinking about dying, he was
asking if. And as a leader, guys, that's
the biggest question you can ask
yourself, if this, if that, because one
of two things are
>> change that. I want to change that two
letters to four.
Go with it. When. Oh, I like that too,
Johnny. If when. Awesome.
>> if is a question, when it's it's not a
question of if, it's a question of when.
Love that. Love that.
>> Yeah, that's that's exactly right.
That's the certainty you give yourself
right there. It's like, it's going to
happen, it's just I don't know when it's
going to happen. Love that. Love that.
What a great conversation. Dave, closing
comments for you, brother. Uh
promote your book, promote your promote
your stuff. Give us something to hang
out there for folks to connect with Dave
Sanderson.
>> Well, thank you. Yeah, I can just
mention we just launched our new brand,
our new company last week, Resilient
Partners Group, because one of the
things I've noticed in over the last 16
years is there's a lot there's a lack of
people with resilience in the mindset
when it comes to all these things
hitting them. So, you know, I'm actually
taking people now through my experience
the the frameworks that I built over the
last 16 years on how to be resilient,
whether it's you're resilient with your
time, resilient with your how you
approach the the people in your life,
how or your vision. So, this is where
we're going right now. Check it out at
resiliancepartnersgroup.com
and we'd love to have a conversation
with you. resiliancepartnersgroup.com.
Dave Sanderson, Dave, I'm
>> That's that's that. I mean, you you got
a [ __ ] amazing story. Is that what
all I mean, you if you want to [ __ ]
plug more [ __ ] do it. This is the part
of the show where you can shamelessly
suck your own [ __ ] and nobody cares.
>> [laughter]
>> Well,
I'll I'll leave you the other thing I'll
leave you is this.
John you will appreciate this based on
that last comment which I won't repeat.
Is is this. Is you know, one of the
things that we talk about proximity is
power. One of the things I'm trying to
teach the next generations is how to do
that. So, I'm doing that by what I call
having my mentor dinners. And I learned
this years ago from my first mentor Bill
back in 1984. He did it. He did it
locally in Charlotte. I'm doing it now
all across North America. Good for you,
Dave.
>> a group of people and I'll show I'll
take them to somebody like last last
week we went and saw Chris Voss, the FBI
negotiator right?
Had dinner with him and I'll show them
people how to get access to these kind
of people, how and they get their minds
and have build that proximity. So, check
out my mentor dinner series. The next
one Love it, brother. Now we're cooking.
>> and we're excited about that. I love
cooking. Very good [ __ ] brother. That's
that's a cool [ __ ] thing right there.
Yep. Just sitting across the table from
somebody, right? That you can have a
conversation you would never have access
to. Yeah.
>> Never ever have I I'll give I'll leave
you with this one. One of the people
we're working on for December which you
guys WILL APPRECIATE
>> DON'T TELL THEM IT'S ME.
I HAVEN'T GOT there yet.
>> Dave Emery, come on. He's sucking his
own [ __ ] right now. You're not entering
this equation. Come on. That's That's
all right, Keys. Hey, let me one maybe
next year we got we'll get to that get
to that, but this gentleman right here
has got more gold and platinum records
in history. Oh. He's He's the drummer
now for Sammy Hagar and his name's Kenny
Aronoff. So, we're going to work on
something with a a rock star in
Hollywood so we can bring everybody
together. How do you How do you become a
rock star? How do you lead from the
drums instead of being a front guy like
Robert Plant? Nice. That's That's going
to happen later this year. Awesome. In
Los Angeles. Dee Snider, thanks for
hanging out with us this morning. Full
of gratitude. Let's grab a coffee
sometime this week if we can. Let's do
it, man. I love that. All right,
brother.
All right, guys.