A grieving father who lost his wife and 12-year-old daughter in the tragic American Airlines crash has shared the moment he first sensed something was wrong.
Just before 9 p.m. on Wednesday, January 29, a PSA Airlines jet—operated by American Airlines—was involved in a midair collision with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.
Flight 5342 was making its final approach to Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., when disaster struck. Both aircraft plummeted into the icy waters of the Potomac River, leaving behind a devastating scene.
The recovery effort is still underway, but all 64 people on board the commercial flight, along with the three soldiers in the helicopter, are feared dead.
Among the victims were a mother and daughter—42-year-old Justyna and her 12-year-old daughter Brielle, a cancer survivor. They had been returning to Washington, D.C., after participating in the U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp.
Andy Beyer, who lost his wife and daughter in the crash, spoke with ABC News about his unimaginable loss.
Talking about his daughter, who battled cancer as an infant, Beyer shared: **”She was such a fighter in everything she did. She embraced life to the fullest in every way.
“She was incredibly proud of the progress she made in figure skating… Making that team was one of her biggest dreams. She made it happen, and she was just so, so proud of herself.”
Beyer was on his way to the airport with their 6-year-old son to pick up his wife and daughter when he sensed something was wrong.
“When the plane was supposed to land, it didn’t. We couldn’t get any text messages through,” he recalled.
The sight of emergency responders only heightened his fears, and it was a friend who worked as an air traffic controller who finally confirmed the devastating news.
Beyer told ABC News, “I didn’t have much hope, unfortunately. We broke down in tears right then and there, but after that, we had to go into the family waiting room and go through everything before finally receiving official confirmation hours later about what had truly happened.”
A GoFundMe page has been created by a “friend of the Beyer family” to provide financial support during this heartbreaking time.
“In a heartbreaking turn of events, we are deeply saddened to share the tragic loss of 12-year-old Brielle and her loving mother, Justyna, who both lost their lives in the recent plane crash in Washington, DC,” the fundraiser states.
“Their passing has left an irreplaceable void in the lives of their family and friends, and we are reaching out to the community for support as they navigate this incredibly difficult time.”
