The collision between a PSA Airlines plane, which is part of American Airlines, and a Black Hawk helicopter from the US Army is one of the most tragic air accidents in the United States in recent years.
Among the victims was Andy Beyer’s wife and their 12-year-old daughter, who had bravely fought cancer when she was just four months old.
The accident happened on Wednesday, January 29, just before 9 p.m., as American Airlines Flight 5342 was getting close to Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington D.C.
All 64 people on the plane, including four crew members, and three military personnel in the helicopter are thought to have lost their lives.
Rescue teams and officials are working hard to recover the bodies, but the tough weather and icy waters of the Potomac River, where the plane went down, are making the job really challenging.
In an interview with ABC News, Beyer shared that his daughter, Brielle, and her mother, Justyna, were on the flight during the crash.
Brielle was part of a skating group returning from the U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas.
“She was such a fighter in everything she did,” said the heartbroken father about his daughter. “She truly lived life to the fullest.”
Beyer talked about her skiing achievements and said, “She felt really proud of her figure skating progress… Getting on that team was one of her biggest dreams. She made it happen, and she was just so, so proud of herself.”
It was during a trip to the airport with his 6-year-old son to pick up Brielle and Justyna that he sensed something was very wrong.
“When the plane was supposed to land, it hadn’t, and we couldn’t send any texts,” he said.
He noticed the emergency services, but it wasn’t until a friend of his, who worked as a controller, confirmed the crash that he realized how serious things were.
Beyer shared with ABC News that he didn’t feel very hopeful. They had a good cry together right then and there, but then they had to wait in the family waiting room for hours before they finally got any official news about what really happened.
People who knew the family have created a GoFundMe page to support them during this tough time.
The GoFundMe page says, “We are heartbroken to announce the tragic loss of 12-year-old Brielle and her dear mother, Justyna, who both sadly passed away in the recent plane crash in Washington, DC. Their loss leaves a huge emptiness in the hearts of their family and friends, and we are asking our community for help during this very hard time.”
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