One of the passengers who lost their lives in the tragic private jet crash in America last weekend had spoken publicly about his flying habits shortly before his death.
Tech tycoon Adam Robinson sadly died in the crash alongside his wife Helen Sharp, 40; his two young children Emma, four, and Charlie, two; their friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr; and their nanny Anita Maria Cetina.
The pilot Jeff Gregory, 55, and co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20, also died in the crash. The tragedy is only the latest in a long list of horrific aviation incidents in the US in recent years.
Robinson was founder and CEO of Retention and RB2B and CEO of Moltsets, and he had spoken to his friends about how well his life was going due to the success of his business, as well as being content with his personal life thanks to his wife and two young children.
The 45-year-old had also confessed his love of private jets in a previous interview, admitting that he was flying private so much that it became ‘part of [his] identity’.
The victims of the Learjet crash (Facebook/JeffnCheryl Corbin-Gregory/Threads/itsnatfilg/Family Handout)
On a video shared on his YouTube channel of a conversation with Lolita Petrossov, who co-founded a private jet charter company, he said: “I remember when I found out it was only a couple of thousand dollars a month, and I could fly for free from New York to Miami or Chicago.
“There was a time where I was single and travelling a lot. And it was like this feeling that I got of ‘wow, I can actually fly private too.’ The status that I got – it became part of my identity’.”
Another post on X from April this year saw Robinson write: “You don’t need to crash a plane to learn to fly … and you don’t need VC [venture capital] to build a business.”
Adam Robinson and his family have been identified by their loved ones as some of the passengers on board the private plane that crashed (YouTube/Adam Robinson)
Tributes have flown in for the family following the horror crash, which occurred on Sunday when the Learjet 60 plummeted into a Florida highway after rapidly losing altitude.
The cause of the crash is yet to be confirmed, although many experts have theorised that ice and adverse weather conditions will likely have played a part.
Jesse Ouellette, a friend of Robinson, told TMZ that the tech boss had just recently shared how happy he was with his life.
Ouellette said: “His loss will be deeply felt by the software founders who knew him as a friend and colleague.
“He challenged the way things were done and was far ahead of his time. It’s heartbreaking that we lost him so soon.”
Adam Robinson confessed a love of private jets before he died (YouTube/Adam Robinson)
The relatives of the seven passengers also shared a joint statement confirmed the victims’ names.
It read: “With broken hearts, our families share that Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp, their children Emma and Charlie, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, and Anita Maria Cetina were among those lost aboard the flight that went down near Greenacres, Florida, on November 1.
“Adam and Helen were devoted parents, and Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were the light of their lives. Helen and Adam were the love affair that will last forever. Their warmth, generosity and gift for making people feel welcome touched so many lives. Their loss will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and who they loved in return.
“Charmi and Rachel were full of joy and adventure. They loved their people fiercely, fully and without hesitation. From the moment they met, they were all in on each other and the life they were building. They are deeply loved, and we will miss them endlessly.
“Anita Maria cared for Emma and Charlie with tenderness and devotion, and she was truly part of the family. She showed us a legacy of unconditional love and devotion.”
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