S3 EP15: When the Unthinkable Happens: Vallie Collins on Faith, Fear, and the Miracle on the Hudson

Let's Be Cleere

What do you think about in the moments you believe might be your last?

When Vallie Collins boarded US Airways Flight 1549, she never imagined it would be known as the Miracle on the Hudson. And she certainly didn’t expect to hear the captain’s voice over the speaker say, “Brace for impact.” But on that cold January day in 2009, her life—and every perspective she held—was about to be radically redefined.

In this episode, Vallie opens up about the fear, surrender, and surreal clarity that met her in those final seconds before the crash… and how surviving it has forever changed the way she lives.

We talk about what legacy means when you’ve stared death in the face, how eternal perspective becomes more than just a concept, and why faith isn’t the absence of fear—but the courage to keep flying anyway.

Vallie shares what it was like to return to the air after the crash, how she’s raising her kids with a sense of grounded gratitude, and why she believes every single day is a miracle worth noticing.

Her story is a breath of perspective, a challenge to live with intention, and a reminder that when your feet touch the ground again—physically or spiritually—you don’t walk the same.

This conversation will leave you asking:

• What really matters when everything else fades?

• How would I live differently if I truly believed each day was a gift?

• Am I living in a way that reflects what I want to leave behind?

Tune in for a story that will stir your soul, soften your fears, and inspire you to live more fully today—because you never know what moment will change everything.