But the person most responsible for the emotional impact of the disaster is the one known at first simply as "the man in the water." Balding, probably in his 50s, a huge mustache. He was seen clinging with five other survivors to the tail section of the airplane. This man was described by Usher and Windsor as appearing alert and in control. Every time they lowered a lifeline and flotation ring to him, he passed it on to another of the passengers. "In a mass casualty, you'll find people like him,” said Windsor. "But I've never seen one with that commitment." When the helicopter came back for him, the man had gone under. His selflessness was one reason the story held national attention; his anonymity another. The fact that he went unidentified gave him a universal character. For a while he was Everyman, and thus proof (as if one needed it) that no man is ordinary.
但是，这次灾难使人们深深感动的最关键人物是最初被简单称作“水中人”的英雄。他50来岁，秃顶，留着大胡子。有人看到他和另外五个幸存者紧抓着失事飞机的尾翼。厄舍和温莎形容他表现得机警、镇定。每当他俩降下救生索和救生圈给他，他都要让给另外一个乘客。“在伤亡惨重的事故中，你总能找到像他这样的英雄，”温莎说道，“但是我从未见到过像他那样有奉献精神的人。”当直升机飞来救他时，他已经沉入水中了。他的无私是此事引起举国瞩目的一个原因；另一个原因则是他的未知身份，匿名赋予他人类普遍特性代表的身份。一时间，他成了每一个普通人的代表，这样也证明了（仿佛人们需要这个证明）没有人是普通的。