TORONTO — Former paramedic Peter Carlson is still reeling from the harrowing experience he and 79 other passengers endured aboard Delta Air Lines flight 4819 just days ago. Carlson, 40, was filled with anticipation for his arrival in Toronto, where he was scheduled to speak at a convention for Ontario paramedic chiefs. In an instant, however, his situation turned catastrophic as he found himself suspended upside down in his seat, only secured by his seatbelt, while trying to make sense of the turmoil around him.
As blood trickled from a wound on the back of his head, Carlson became aware of other injured passengers, including one individual who was trapped beneath a nearby seat. The smell of jet fuel was overpowering, wafting in from a window next to his seat, which was sheared off during the plane’s crash landing at Pearson International Airport on Monday.
“It was a violent impact with a sudden sideways motion, and then the aircraft flipped,” Carlson shared on Wednesday. “Survival was our only priority.” Meanwhile, his friend Michael Nolan, the convention chairman, was preparing to pick him up when he noticed a dark plume of smoke in the distance.
“Are you alright? There seems to be some trouble on the runway,” Nolan texted Carlson, unaware that he was referring to his own flight.
Carlson replied that he was already on the tarmac, which initially led Nolan to believe his friend had just landed safely. The gravity of the situation hit Nolan when he received a follow-up text from Carlson containing an image of fellow passengers evacuating the overturned aircraft.
“My heart just sank… It was shocking to realize this was his new reality,” remarked Nolan, who serves as a paramedic chief in a county north of Ottawa. Instead of simply attending the convention on paramedic roles, both men suddenly found themselves participants in a critical emergency.
Nolan hurried to a triage area to assist in treating the injured, embracing his long-time friend when they reunited. Despite having shifted to a desk job in recent years, Carlson’s instincts as a paramedic took over during the crisis.
“I felt empowered to act when the situation demanded it,” he noted. “I was able to assess the challenge logically and focus on escaping the danger.” Carlson humbly credited the four crew members for their role in ensuring the passengers’ safety, and he was astonished that everyone survived the incident, especially after seeing footage of their aircraft, a Mitsubishi CRJ-900, touch down hard and skid before flipping.
“Even without that video, it’s astonishing that we all made it through,” Carlson shared, recounting his bruised ribs and several cuts on his legs. “I’m not sure if I can claim the label of miracle, but it certainly feels incredible.” The last of the 21 injured passengers was released from the hospital by Thursday.
While the physical injuries will heal, Carlson grappled with the mental impact of the incident and questioned whether he would find the strength to deliver his planned speech. “Finding the motivation to leave my room was tough,” he admitted. “I felt overwhelmed and just wanted to be with my family.” Nevertheless, he delivered his speech, discussing his paramedic career and the critical role the profession plays in society.
Though he longed to be back home in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his wife and children, he found comfort in the presence of fellow paramedics and Nolan. Cindy Woodhouse, the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, welcomed Carlson into a healing drumming circle the following day, and Ontario paramedic chiefs association president Greg Sage acknowledged his efforts on the aircraft with a certificate.
“I believe each of us in this room hopes we would respond with the same courage in a situation like Pete’s,” Sage stated. “He has inspired all of us.” Carlson’s journey to Toronto started with a heartfelt hug exchanged with Nolan, and two days later, they shared another emotional embrace on stage when Carlson received a standing ovation for his bravery.
“I wasn’t as present in the past few days as I had hoped to be,” Carlson told the audience. “Considering the circumstances, I can’t imagine being with a more supportive group of individuals in terms of community care. So thank you all very much.”
