(Radio Iowa) – A flight attendant who was on United Flight 232 when it crashed in Sioux City 35 years ago returned for events this past weekend to remember the 112 who died and the 184 who survived the crash. Susan White was just starting her career and was 26 when an engine failure led to the D-C-10 crashing at the Sioux Gateway Airport. She says the response was tremendous. “The community came together and we do talk about how people were lining up donating blood. It’s just I don’t think you could have that anywhere else,” white says. “And the people were so generous and so gracious and people were volunteering food, volunteering their homes and yeah, it’s like the college I stayed two nights in the college with another flight attendant we shared dormitory room.”

After two nights in the Briar Cliff dorm room, White’s father came to Sioux City to fly back home with her and she eventually returned to her job.  “I don’t know if I could have been on the plane without him holding me, I was very very fearful,” she says, “but through therapy and some time I was able to come back. And I always wanted to come back, I never had in my mind that I wouldn’t come back, because I truly loved my job.” White says part of her therapy was reunions with the other crewmembers, including some that were in Sioux City.

“I’m very close with several people from Sioux City here that have become good friends of mine, and it’s such a comfort to have them in my life. And they’re all part of my story of my healing and continuing to be able to do my job as I do it,” she says. “It was right during the reunions, getting together with the crew and just discussing and telling how we felt and talking about that day and all that happened. I think it was good therapy for all of us.”

White was in Sioux City on the anniversary Friday to talk about how the crew communicated during the emergency.