Charlotte Jørgensen, a former Dancing With the Stars pro, was one of the 72 passengers aboard the Air Canada plane when it collided with a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia on March 22. The incident killed two pilots, Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther, and injured 41 people who were transported to the hospital.
According to People, aviation safety expert, Anthony Brickhouse, said, “It's sad that we had two fatalities, the captain and the first officer, but looking at those pictures, it's miraculous that we didn't have more.”
Jørgensen recently spoke about her experience in a March 29 Instagram post. She shared, “A week ago tonight, after a fabulous weekend in Montreal, I boarded Air Canada 8646 bound for La Guardia NYC. By now, probably most of you have heard of the collision that happened with a firetruck on the runway. I owe my life to two brave souls Captain Antoine Forest and First Officer Mackenzie Gunther - they made the ultimate sacrifice so that we all could live…. I am indebted to them and my thoughts are with their families.”
Jørgensen continued, “On the night I felt nothing as adrenaline was rushing through my body but the days after has been tough - physically, mentally and emotionally. I am at home now, and Nelson and Vivianna are taking good care of me. I will be taking time to heal. I am grateful for all the love I have received and I send you all an extra warm hug.”
Jørgensen also thanked her Dancing With the Stars family for their “care and concern.”
Jørgensen appeared on the first season of DWTS in 2005. Her partner was John O’Hurley, who is known for his role as J. Peterman on Seinfeld and his time hosting Family Feud and the National Dog Show. The pair finished in second place.
