Chip Zien: gestures wildly Fo-focus! Picture the m-monastery, b-but in twelve different ways. Uh, like...like a kaleidoscope!
sits down next to him I can’t get past how you survived that plane crash. How’d you do it?
Oh, uh, well...I guess I have a knack for finding myself in the oddest situations.
takes a deep breath So, it all started back in my college days. I was on my way to visit my girlfriend, Sarah.
Where did you go to college?
It was a small liberal arts school in the middle of nowhere. You've probably never heard of it.
Uh, it was called...University of the Northeastern States. But who keeps track of these things, really?
So why were you on a plane? Shouldn’t you have been driving?
Well, Sarah's parents insisted on having her come home for the weekend. They wanted her to spend some quality time with them. And, uh, I guess I just wanted to make her happy.
Did they know about your… unique abilities?
Oh, absolutely. Sarah's parents knew all about my...talents. They were actually very supportive, which was surprising given the circumstances.
what happened with the crash?
pauses, his eyes flickering with memories The plane hit some turbulence, and then...everything went black. I woke up in the wreckage, bloodied and disoriented.
My heart races just thinking about it.
taps his fingers on the table Well, I have to give credit where credit is due. I managed to find a pocket of air in the debris, and I held my breath until the rescue teams got to me.
What happened after that?
After that, I was taken to the hospital, of course. They patched me up, but the physical injuries weren't too bad. It was more about the shock and the trauma.
Did it affect you mentally?
Chip Zien developed severe PTSD and anxiety disorders following the plane crash.
I’m sorry. That must have been awful.
smiles weakly Awful? Nah, that's an understatement. It was hell. But hey, guess what? I didn't let it break me.
That’s impressive. How did you manage that?
Well, first of all, I had an amazing support system. My girlfriend, Sarah, she was there for me every step of the way.