Jackie Pflug is a wonderful motivational speaker with a truly inspirational story of surviving a flight hijacking while on her way to Egypt in 1985.

Jackie Pflug speaks to the issues of what really matters in life. Her words come from a truly unique point of view and a horrific set of experiences. In 1985, on a flight to Egypt, the plane she was traveling on was hijacked by a group of terrorists who forced the plane to land in Malta. There, the hijackers demanded that the plane be refueled, and began shooting passengers in the head, one by one, every 15 minutes, until their demands were met. Jackie was the fifth person shot. The terrorists then threw Jackie's limp body onto the tarmac thinking she was dead. It was only on the way to the morgue that it was realized that she was still clinging to life. 

This experience on EgyptAir Flight 648 left her with lifelong injuries, but also inspired a powerful passion for living that she shares with audiences. Jackie Pflug's message of inspiration, hope, and encouragement reminds us to look past obstacles and challenges to appreciate what we have. Jackie Pflug speaks from personal experience when she talks about facing change and adversity. 

On Thanksgiving weekend in November of 1985, she was flying to Cairo, where she had attended a volleyball tournament with a group of students. At the time, Jackie was a special education teacher at the American School Ten minutes into EgyptAir Flight #648, three terrorists, calling themselves "The Egypt Revolution," hijacked their flight. A gun battle ensued as the terrorists took control of the flight at an altitude of 35,000 feet. They were forced to land in Malta. The terrorists began to execute one passenger every 15 minutes until their demands for fuel were met. Like four passengers before her, Jackie was shot at point blank range, execution style, thrown from the plane onto the tarmac and left for dead. For five hours, she drifted in and out of consciousness until an airport grounds crew retrieved her body on its way to the morgue. Fifty-nine passengers died during the ordeal. Jackie lived. 

Over the years, she has had to adapt to the effects of being shot in the head and the resulting brain injury, which includes impaired vision and a loss of short-term memory. Fortunately, Jackie sees things differently today. This experience has opened her eyes to all of those obstacles that consume us in our lives and careers. If she has learned anything, it's that we must look beyond those obstacles that get in our way and focus on what really matters. Jackie shares her story in order to spread a message of hope and encouragement to audiences around the world.