A veteran flight attendant who miraculously survived a catastrophic runway collision at New York’s LaGuardia Airport is now beginning a long and painful road to recovery—offering a human face to one of the most shocking aviation incidents in recent memory.

Solange Tremblay, an Air Canada employee of 26 years, was violently ejected from the aircraft during the March 22 crash, according to details first reported by the New York Post. The regional Jazz flight, arriving from Montreal, collided with a fire truck on the runway in a devastating impact that killed both pilots and left the aircraft severely mangled.

Now, for the first time since the crash, Tremblay has been seen recovering in a hospital bed—her condition underscoring the sheer brutality of the accident. Her daughter, Sarah Lepine, has been sharing updates as part of a fundraising effort to support mounting medical costs, revealing the extent of injuries that are as harrowing as they are complex.

According to Lepine, Tremblay was still strapped into her jump seat when she was thrown more than 300 feet from the aircraft, landing on the tarmac amid debris. That detail alone has stunned aviation observers, as survival under such circumstances is extraordinarily rare.

The injuries she sustained are severe. Both of Tremblay’s legs suffered open fractures, requiring multiple surgeries and the insertion of metal plates to stabilize the damage. She is also dealing with a fractured spine, and doctors are still determining whether surgery will be necessary. In addition, she lost significant skin tissue during the impact and slide across the runway, requiring graft procedures to aid recovery.

Complications have already arisen. Tremblay reportedly needed a blood transfusion following her initial surgery, highlighting just how precarious her condition has been in the days since the crash.

While the investigation into what caused the collision continues, the human toll is already painfully clear. The cockpit of the aircraft was destroyed in the crash, claiming the lives of the two pilots instantly. Meanwhile, survivors like Tremblay are left facing months—if not years—of rehabilitation, surgeries, and emotional healing.

Aviation experts are closely watching the case, as runway collisions involving emergency vehicles are exceedingly uncommon and raise serious questions about airport safety protocols. For now, however, the focus remains on those directly affected.

Images of Tremblay in her hospital bed—bandaged, recovering, and surrounded by loved ones—serve as a sobering reminder of how quickly routine travel can turn into tragedy. Yet her survival, against overwhelming odds, is also being seen as remarkable.

As her daughter continues to update supporters, one thing is certain: Tremblay’s recovery will be long, but her story is already resonating far beyond the runway where the accident occurred.