3lor

A 12-year-old cancer survivor tragically lost her life in the American Airlines crash.

Advertisement

On January 29, Andy Beyer stood in the parking lot outside Reagan National Airport, eagerly awaiting the arrival of his wife and daughter. He was texting his wife, Justyna, who was on American Airlines Flight 5342 with their 12-year-old daughter, Brielle—a courageous cancer survivor and a competitive figure skater. However, instead of reuniting with the two people he “loved more than anything,” Andy witnessed firetrucks racing past him, unaware that he had just lost his “soulmate” and “princess” in a tragic midair collision that claimed the lives of 67 people.

On that fateful day, Brielle, aged 12, was traveling with her mother, Justyna, from Kansas to their home in Northern Virginia, where they lived with Andy and their 6-year-old son, Kallen. “Six days was the longest we had ever been apart. It was hard. I really missed them. I was so excited to give them a hug,” Andy shared with NBC, describing his daughter as someone who was “just meant to sparkle.”

Justyna and Brielle were on American Airlines Flight 5342 (GoFundMe). Brielle was part of an elite group of the nation’s top young figure skaters, and the mother-daughter pair were returning home after six days of intensive training in Wichita. This was a monumental achievement for Brielle, who had faced significant challenges in her young life. As a baby, she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that develops from immature nerve cells found in various parts of the body, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The Washington Post reported that Brielle underwent multiple surgeries and even spent time on a ventilator during her battle with cancer. Although she was in recovery, she experienced “residual nerve differences in her legs,” which made figure skating particularly challenging. Despite this, Brielle remained one of the top skaters in her age group nationally.

“This sport can be grueling, and it’s so important to find those moments where you’re filled with the joy of it all,” Andy, 44, told The Washington Post. He described the trip to Wichita as “one of those moments” for Brielle and Justyna. “It was a big life goal for Brielle, and she was so proud of herself. Justyna was incredibly proud of her too,” Andy added, noting that his 42-year-old wife had left her nursing career to support their daughter in pursuing her dreams.

‘Something Was Wrong’

Andy had been in constant communication with Justyna and Brielle throughout their trip and was thrilled to know they were finally heading home. The grieving father recounted to The Washington Post that Justyna had texted him before American Eagle Flight 5342 took off, excitedly mentioning the complimentary glass of wine she had received from a flight attendant. As Andy and his young son waited anxiously for the plane to land, he sent a text asking if they would be arriving soon.

Advertisement

Instead of receiving a reply from Justyna, Andy saw emergency vehicles speeding past him. “Firetrucks started rushing by. At that moment, I knew something was terribly wrong,” the tearful father told CNN.

The Deadly Crash

At approximately 9 p.m., the aircraft—operated by American Airlines—collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The crash claimed the lives of all 60 passengers and four crew members on the commercial flight, as well as the three soldiers aboard the helicopter.

‘I Lived My Life for Them’

The day after the devastating crash, Andy shared an emotional post on Facebook, accompanied by photos of the family enjoying precious moments together. “I’m still in shock, but I lost my soulmate and my princess last night,” he wrote. “In case you didn’t know, Brielle was an incredible figure skater, among so many other amazing things about her. She had achieved one of her life goals by qualifying for the national development team with U.S. Figure Skating.”

Advertisement

Andy continued, “She and Justyna were on the flight that crashed while returning from Wichita, where they had attended the high-performance camp. They were truly beautiful people, inside and out.” He concluded the post with heartfelt words: “I lived my life for them. I loved them more than anything, and I’m going to miss them so much.”

Please share your thoughts and condolences for the Beyer family in the comments section below.

Related Posts:

Our Dog Barked at My Sleeping Wife—Then We Knew Why

Advertisement Semy, The Family’s Protector Nights at home were always peaceful. We lived in a quiet neighborhood, where neighbors greeted each other in the morning and children played in the street without fear. Our routine was simple: we ate dinner together, watched a little television, and when we grew sleepy, we each retired to our ... Read more

Found Daughter Caged by Babysitter—Her Unblinking Response Chilled Me

Advertisement I was only gone two hours. Enough time to run errands and finally pick up that birthday gift for my sister. The sitter, Kelsie, came highly recommended—a quiet college student, early childhood education major, CPR certified, the whole checklist. I figured it’d be a chill afternoon. But the second I stepped through the front ... Read more

My Daughter on the Slide: A Mother’s Look and My Lingering Fear

Advertisement This photo? It looks ordinary. A kid on a slide. Ponytail lopsided. Shirt riding up. Pink shoes full of bark chips. You’d scroll past it in a heartbeat if she weren’t mine. But that day, I remember exactly what I was thinking as I took it: Please let her feel normal for five minutes. ... Read more

Her Grave Visited Yearly—This Time, a Discovery Changed Everything

Advertisement They were too young when she passed to understand it, really. I remember holding them both at the service, one on each hip, while trying not to fall apart myself. I told them she was in the sky, watching us. That she loved them more than cookies and cartoons combined. Now they’re five. Old ... Read more

He Threw Her Out—Six Years Later, She Returned with Twins and a Shattering Secret

Advertisement Six years ago, Emily stood on the creaking front porch of the house they once called home. The air was thick with summer humidity, but her hands trembled more from the chill in Mark’s voice than the weather. She was pregnant — twins due in a few short weeks — and held nothing but ... Read more

Found Abandoned Baby in Business Class—His Note Changed My Life

Advertisement The flight from New York to London had been smooth—uneventful, even. As a flight attendant with nearly a decade of experience, I’d seen almost everything: nervous fliers, crying toddlers, the occasional argument over reclining seats. But nothing—not even my worst turbulence nightmare—could’ve prepared me for what happened after that plane landed. We had just ... Read more