The heartbroken husband whose spouse texted him that she was touchdown minutes earlier than her doomed American Airways flight collided with an Military helicopter revealed he discovered it was his spouse’s airplane by means of social media.
Hamaad Raza remembered his spouse, Asra Hussain, because the “kindest person I’ve ever met” who went “above and beyond” for others earlier than she was killed through the collision in Washington, DC, on Wednesday night time.
“She went above and beyond and then took a giant leap over that when it came to doing things for other people, for me, for her parents, for my parents,” Raza informed NBC 4 Washington.
The couple met whereas in faculty in Indiana and have been solely married for 2 years. Hussian was returning dwelling from enterprise in Wichita, Kan.
Raza obtained a textual content message from Hussain as he was heading to Reagan Nationwide Airport Wednesday night time to select her up.
“We’re landing in 20 minutes,” Hussain’s textual content learn.
Nevertheless, whereas ready for Hussain, Raza observed first responders racing towards the Potomac River.
“I was waiting and I started seeing a bunch of EMS vehicles speeding past me, like way too many than normal,” he informed the outlet.
Raza’s worries have been amplified when he realized the texts he despatched to his spouse “weren’t going through.”
He reached Terminal 2 on the DC airport and stated he witnessed lots of of emergency employees across the airport responding to the collision.
Raza then went on social media to search for solutions.
“I show up to the airport, and my wife’s not responding, and I look on Twitter and I see that it’s her flight,” the grieving husband informed the outlet.
He informed WUSA that he was “praying” his spouse was protected and confirmed the undelivered messages on his telephone display screen.
A day later, he stated it was “crazy” to appreciate his spouse’s airplane was concerned within the deadly collision.
“It’s just, feels crazy that it happened to us, to be honest,” he informed NBC 4 Washington.
“I mean, it’s like you see these things happen in the news, you see them happen in other countries.”
Now, as he prepares to plan his spouse’s funeral, he stated the expertise has proven him how fragile life will be.
“Life is short. Hug your loved ones.” Raza heartbreakingly stated.
Comply with The Put up’s protection of the American Airways jet’s collision with a navy helicopter in DC
“Tell them you love them when they’re getting on a flight. Check up on them. Text your family when you land.”
The crash, which killed all 64 individuals aboard the packed Flight 5342 from Wichita — plus three individuals on the chopper — is the deadliest US air catastrophe since 2001.
There are two flight paths within the space — one for helicopters and one other for airplanes — that converge close to Reagan Airport, in keeping with an official flight map.
The airplane route from Wichita to DC first began simply over a yr in the past, on Jan. 8, 2024.
The Black Hawk helicopter was apparently flying too excessive — at about 400 toes — when it collided with the American Airways jet, which was quickly descending after it was cleared for touchdown, in keeping with specialists.
Officers haven’t but supplied a attainable trigger for the crash.
Nevertheless, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated Thursday that the tragedy was “absolutely” preventable.
Duffy, who was confirmed to his function only a day earlier than Wednesday night time’s crash, agreed with President Trump that it “looks like it should have been prevented.”
