Politics
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Breaks Down In Tears In Emotional Segment
CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins became visibly emotional during a heartbreaking interview with Andy Beyer, who lost his wife and 12-year-old daughter in the tragic plane crash in Washington, D.C. Beyer’s wife, Justyna, and daughter, Brielle, were returning from the U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas, when their flight went down. Speaking to Collins, Beyer described the devastating moment he realized something was terribly wrong.
“We were supposed to pick them up, me and my son, like we did from these trips all the time,” Beyer recalled. “We were texting with them right before they were supposed to land. The tracker said ‘landed,’ and texts went from blue to green, and then fire trucks started going by. At that point, I knew something was wrong.”
“I called someone that, you know, was able to confirm that their plane was in a crash, and I told my son,” he said. “He came in the front seat with me, and we had a really long cry. He let out just like this ‘no’—you know, it was really hurt,” Beyer continued.
“I can’t even imagine having to have that conversation… where you don’t even as a dad have a few moments to process it by yourself,” Collins said.
Brielle, a promising young figure skater, had already overcome extraordinary challenges in her short life, including surviving cancer as a baby. Beyer spoke about the joy of being her father. “It was the most amazing gift that I could have asked for,” he said. “She was just the dream girl from the moment that I met her. She just kept exceeding our expectations from the time she was a baby… She was a joy and a gift.”
“They, like all the victims, deserve to be remembered. They deserve to have their story known to the world,” Beyer responded. “Everyone dies, right? And they live on through our memories. I want people to have a memory of them so that they live on.”
“Thank you for doing so, Andy,” Collins said wiping back tears. “I think everyone will be really touched to hear from you. So thank you. Thank you for going on to talk about that.”
WATCH:
The tragic mid-air collision occurred near Washington, D.C., on January 29, involving American Eagle Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The crash resulted in the deaths of all 67 individuals aboard both aircraft.
American Eagle Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ-700 jet operated by PSA Airlines for American Airlines, was en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The Black Hawk helicopter, operated by the U.S. Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion, was conducting a routine night training mission.
Preliminary reports indicate that the collision happened at an altitude of approximately 325 feet, with the helicopter flying above its authorized limit of 200 feet. At the time, a single air traffic controller was managing both aircraft, a situation described as “not normal” for that time of day.
Authorities have recovered the black boxes from both aircraft, which are reported to be in good condition and are expected to provide crucial data for the investigation. All 67 victims’ remains have been recovered, with 66 positively identified as of Tuesday. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, but a final report may take over a year.
The tragedy marks the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster since November 2001.
