No one knows when tragedy will knock on the door. But what we do know is the resilience and strength of the human spirit.
There is no doubt about that resilience and belief’s presence in Kechi Okwuchi, a true survivor in every sense of the word.
Not many people can say they were one of the two survivors in an airplane crash on and a finalist at the twelfth season of America’s Got Talent in 2017, but Kechi can.
In the relatively short period of time she’s been on this planet, so much has happened in her life from tragedy to recovery to triumph.
The turning point of her life was the Sosoliso airplane crash of 2005—the crash that swallowed over 100 lives.
Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 was a scheduled Nigerian domestic passenger flight from Nigeria’s capital of Abuja to Port Harcourt.
At about 14:08 local time (13:08 UTC) on 10 December 2005, it crashed at Port Harcourt International Airport. The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 with 110 people on board, slammed into the ground and burst into flames.
Immediately after the crash, seven survivors were recovered and taken to hospitals, but only two people survived (including Kechi).
After multiple surgeries and a long recovery process, she was able to get on with her life. Years later in 2017, she auditioned for America’s Got Talent–a globally renowned talent show.
Her audition quickly went viral as people were inspired and humbled by her vulnerability and optimism.
She sang a powerful rendition of ‘Thinking Out Loud’ by Ed Sheeran. Her performance and star quality led her all the way to the top 10 on the show. That audition footage is still one of the most endearing moments of that 12th season of America’s Got Talent.
Even though music is something she dearly loves, she’s more than just her sultry vocals. In 2015, Okwuchi graduated from the University of Saint Thomas, in Houston, Texas, United States, with a First Class Degree.
She was the student speaker at the Commencement Ceremony. She was also a speaker at TedxEuston where she gave a talk titled “Girls: Know Thyself”.
No matter her decision on her eventual career path, it is obvious she has all it takes to excel. She’s seen it all, now the world is hers for the taking.
