My grandfather escaped death in 1945
By NJ Chicaa
@NJChicaa (128419)
United States
November 12, 2026 4:01pm CST
I mean his side of the family has seriously strong genes. Our family's past has demonstrated that.
I wrote yesterday or earlier (who knows) that my grandfather on my dad's side did 49 flying and bombing missions over Europe in WWII. He was very proud of that as he totally should have been.
When he was planned to home from whatever base he was returned to after the war he was scheduled for a flight but then was offered a seat on the plane the night before. For whatever reason (I don't know) he said "no I'll stick with tomorrow plans"
The plane that he would have been on was the one that crashed into the Empire State Tower due to heavy fog. He wasn't on it. That is just a crazy coincidence. Personally I would have been like "hell yeah" if I was offered an offer chance to get home. I wish I could ask my Pop Pop what he was thinking when he said no.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1945_Empire_State_Building_B-25_crash
8 people like this
8 responses
@Deepizzaguy (126727)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
16h
Your grandfather had his guardian angel looking out for him.
4 people like this
@RasmaSandra (102326)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
17h
That was the finger of fate urging him to change plans,
4 people like this
@snowy22315 (215036)
• United States
17h
Did he ever say what the reason was he turned it down? That reminds me of someone who showed me a ticket from Pan Am 103. The one that crashed due to a bomb in Scotland. I forgot why he told me he wasn't able to board...but he sure was glad he didn't!
4 people like this
@MarieCoyle (65057)
•
17h
When things like that happen I think we all usually question the coincidences. Your Dad wasn't born yet, if he had been on the first plane, your Dad wouldn't have been created, or you or the rest of your family. It's hard to understand when things like this happen. I am glad he lived and you had the chance to know him.
4 people like this
@rsa101 (42314)
• Philippines
11h
What an incredible story! Just one simple choice—to turn down that earlier flight—changed the course of his life entirely. It’s almost as if fate itself stepped in, keeping him safe for reasons we can only imagine, like the universe was holding back his departure until the perfect moment.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (52262)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
1h
He either wasn't in a hurry to get back home or thought he'd let someone else have the chance. Maybe it was that guy's luck that caused the crash... who knows?
