TAMPA, Fla. — More than 40 years ago, a Florida plane crashed into the Potomac River.

What You Need To Know

  • One TPA volunteer is sharing his own story of tragedy after the crash of an American Airlines jet and Army helicopter

  • That volunteer, known as 'Deacon Joe,' wanted to do something about the stress of flying, creating the Tampa Interfaith Airport Chaplaincy Program
  • Today, the the special program and its seven volunteer chaplains help make flying less stressful; offering comfort to travelers and TPA employees, alike.
  • Deacon Joe says about 90% of his time at TPA is given to employees of the airport

And it inspired a Tampa man to do something about the stress of flying. It’s called the Tampa Interfaith Airport Chaplaincy Program.

At Tampa International Airport, the special program and its seven volunteer chaplains are helping make flying less stressful, offering comfort to travelers and TPA employees.

There is one particular member — a volunteer — who is sharing his story of wanting to help.

“Everybody comes off here looking to see who’s meeting them, where are they going, what’s the next stop?" said Dr. Joe Krzanowksi — or "Deacon Joe’ as he is commonly known.

He has been a volunteer chaplain at the airport for the last 13 years.

“This is the chapel," says Deacon Joe, as he enters the room. "It’s a quiet room, it’s a place where there is no announcements, there’s no food allowed in here, there’s none of that sorts. It’s a place where people can come and have quiet.”

Shortly after moving to Tampa in 1982, Krzanowksi suffered his own family tragedy, losing his brother and several other relatives when Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the Potomac River. It's the same river that is the focus of a recovery mission right now. 

“We pray for those who are experiencing this difficulty," said Krzanowksi. "Because it really is a difficulty and we rely on our friends and our faith to be supportive.”

Through his grief, he saw a need for an airport chaplaincy program at TPA. Five years later, he became an ordained deacon and started greeting travelers at the airport.

“It’s fun to make people smile," he says. "One of the things we do is give people lollipops. They’re called charms. We often hand them to them and say, ‘Would you like one?’ They look at us and smile and I say they’re charms, they’re for charming people.”

Whether it's charming travelers or simply just greeting them, it’s the intuition, Deacon Joe says, that goes a long way.

“When they know that somebody cares about them, that they’re concerned about their welfare and what happened and these things, that makes all the difference in the world," he said. "You can’t change what happened, but I know that you know I do care about you.”

Krzanowksi says he’s usually on his feet for six hours a day, making his way from the main terminal to even the "belly of TPA," or baggage belt system. But he says about 90% of his time at TPA is given to employees of the airport.