A man has shared the events that made him suspect something was wrong after losing his wife and 12-year-old daughter in the tragic American Airlines disaster.
On Wednesday, January 29, shortly before 9 p.m., a Black Hawk US Army helicopter collided midair with an American Airlines-owned PSA Airlines aircraft.
At the time of the accident, Flight 5342 was preparing to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport, near Washington, D.C.
The wreckage of both the helicopter and the plane, which carried 60 passengers and four crew members, plunged into the Potomac River.
It is believed that three people on the helicopter and 64 on the commercial plane have died, with a “recovery” mission still ongoing.
Among the victims is a man’s wife and his 12-year-old daughter, who had previously battled and survived cancer.
Justyna and Brielle were on the American Airlines flight (GoFundMe)
After losing his wife, Justyna, 42, and his daughter, Brielle, while returning to the capital from the US Figure Skating National Development Camp, Andy Beyer spoke with ABC News.
Beyer recalled his daughter, who was diagnosed with cancer as a newborn, saying, “She was such a fighter in everything she did. She made the most of every moment she had.”
“She was so proud of her progress in figure skating… Making that team was one of her life goals, and she achieved it. She was just so, so proud of herself.”
Beyer realized something was wrong when he was on his way to the airport with the couple’s 6-year-old son to pick up his wife and daughter.
“When it was time for the plane to land, they still hadn’t landed, and we couldn’t get any text messages through.” he explained.
A friend who works as an air traffic controller confirmed the crash, and seeing all the emergency services only added to the anxiety.
Beyer told ABC News, “Unfortunately, I didn’t have much hope. We had a good cry right then and there, and then we had to wait in the family waiting room for hours before we received any official word on what had truly happened.”
A ‘friend of the Beyer family’ has set up a GoFundMe to help them through this difficult time.
“In a tragic turn of events, we are heartbroken to share the devastating loss of 12-year-old Brielle and her beloved mother, Justyna, who both tragically passed away in the recent Washington, DC, plane crash,” the page reads.
“Their absence leaves an irreplaceable void in the hearts of family and friends, and we are reaching out to our community for support during this incredibly difficult time.”
