There's a new Christmas tree in the Clarence home of Jennifer West this year. West couldn't bear to put up the one she decorated with her husband Ernie last year. Ernie West was one of 50 people who died last February when flight 3407 crashed in Clarence Center on its approach to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
"If it were up to me I probably wouldn't even put a tree up or anything but I have to do it for my daughter because she's finally experiencing what Santa is," says West, " We picked out a tree together to make it fun. I'm not using the tree from last year because it's just too many memories right now."
West stays strong for her daughter and its for her husband that she's flying to Washington D.C. Thursday night despite the bad weather.
"It's my first time flying and I said I wouldn't fly but I feel I have to do it for Ernie because I don't want his death to be in vain," says West. West and other families of flight 3407 crash victims are heading to Capitol Hill for Senate hearings and meetings with lawmakers. They're pushing for higher pilot qualifications and other safety requirements.
"We want them to see these are important lives and they're more important than the expense that it would cost to have this bill passed," says West. She thinks money is a big reason the bill hasn't passed yet.
"There is a lot of in-house special interest groups and I'm afraid they're more worried about campaign contributions than the cost of lives," says West.
West believes if the regulations the flight 3407 families are fighting for had been in place last February her husband would still be alive. As she prepares for her flight Ernie's final moments haunt her. It's something she's had to deal with often since the crash. "Especially at night when you're just laying there I picture what were his thoughts in his last moment," West gets teary-eyed as she adds, "I just wish I was there to comfort him."
West says New York's senators and representatives are very supportive of the legislation. They're hopeful other senators will get on board and pass the law very soon.
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