Photos: Sosoliso plane crash survivor Kechi Okwuchi graduates from U.S. University

Sosoliso plane crash survivor Kechi Okwuchi graduated with First Class at University of Thomas Houston, Texas on May 16th, 2015.

Ms. Okwuchi survived a plane crash in 2005 in Nigeria that killed 107 people, including her close friend who was sitting next to her and late Pastor Bimbo Odukoya.

She was in Loyola Jesuit College, a boarding high school in Abuja when she survived the plane crash.

She said, “I remember just saying I don’t know, but I think we should pray or something, I don’t know. We actually never got a chance. That’s the last memory I have before I blacked out.”

Kechi with her mum

Kechi was one of only two survivors on that plane.

Medical treatments at the Shriner’s Hospital in Galveston brought her to the US. She was burned over most of her body. Kechi has had more than 100 surgeries, including skin grafts. Doctors placed pins to support her hands.

Then, Kechi started school at the University of Saint Thomas.

“I don’t want to always be thinking people are probably staring at me like crazy right now. If I catch someone staring, I just smile,” she said.

She delivered the commencement speech at her convocation last Saturday.