JetBlue Emergency: 'Twilight' Star Jackson Rathbone Live Tweets Prayers; Thanks God for Safe Landing
Jackson Rathbone and his family endured a harrowing ordeal when the engine of their plane exploded mid-flight on Thursday, and the actor supplied every detail along with prayers on Twitter.
The "Twilight" star posted a series of tweets from the plane directly after the right engine exploded on the way to Austin, Texas on Sept. 18. The Jet Blue flight had taken off in Long Beach, California when the explosion occurred, causing the cabin to fill with smoke. Rathbone, who was flying with his wife Shelia and their two-year-old son Monroe, chronicled the entire experience, including his prayers and thanks on social media.
"Thank you Jesus and the pilot of this plane," the star began using WhoSay via Twitter.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The post included a photo of the JetBlue plane. Rathbone went on to recall the moment of the explosion and that the oxygen masks did not deploy after smoke filled the cabins.
"The brave stewardesses came around and manually deployed them," Rathbone added. "It was rough, the plane was rocking."
As the horrific events continued to unfold, Rathbone said he seized his wife and son and prayed to the Lord.
"I recited the Lord's Prayer as I held my son and my wife in my arms," the actor shared. "The pilot came on the PA and let us know we lost the right engine."
While the pilot prepared for landing, the stewardesses chanted "Brace!" Not long after, Rathbone and the other passengers reached safety.
"We landed safely," he wrote. "It wasn't even all that rough, honestly. I just couldn't stop kissing my family and thanking my God."
The actor also noted his overwhelming relief.
"I grabbed my son and jumped down the inflated ramp, my wife following. We left our personal effects onboard," he wrote.
It remains unclear what caused the in-flight explosion, but today, Rathbone is not only back on the plane, but is celebrating.
"When you fall off a horse, you get back up," he wrote. "Here we go again @JetBlue."
Later, the actor added, "This is how we celebrate a near death experience at the Rathbone house… a wine and champagne tasting. Boo ya."
