"After AA5342, this American Airlines captain just said the exact words that I (and everyone else) needed to hear," Mixon wrote in the video’s text overlay. The crash, which involved an American Airlines plane and a Black Hawk helicopter, had no survivors, according to The Washington Post. Aware of the understandable anxiety among passengers, Captain Jeffrey Collins addressed them directly: "You may be fearful about flying and that’s certainly understandable." He continued, "But just please know that my first officer and our flight attendants and myself place your safety and responsibility of carrying you to Miami—to your families, your vacations, your meetings—at the highest level." His words offered much-needed reassurance, reminding everyone to breathe a little easier and, if possible, enjoy their evening.
After tragic DC crash, pilot shares powerful message that his passengers needed to hear
The pilot comforted his passengers with his reassuring words before takeoff.
A tragic event can leave a deep impact, and in those moments, finding the right words to comfort others isn’t always easy. But one pilot knew exactly how to reassure his passengers. Less than 24 hours after a fatal airplane crash in Washington, D.C., an American Airlines captain delivered a heartfelt message to those on board a departing flight. His words were shared by a passenger, Leighton Mixon, who goes by @leighterhaters on TikTok and was moved by the captain’s speech.
"I have no higher calling than carefully and professionally transporting you today. So with that, relax and enjoy the beautiful evening that we get to fly in. We’ll be underway shortly. Welcome aboard," the message concluded. The caption of the video read, "Life is short, hug your people. Whoever is the pilot on AA1044 to MIA, I love you." The video received more than 11.5 million views and over 1.9 million likes. People took to the comments section of the video to express their thoughts on the pilot's heartwarming message for the passengers on the flight.
@gordonrox24 wrote, "I used to be afraid of flying until one day I was doing laundry at a hotel before a flight. When I boarded that flight, the pilot was the man doing laundry with me the night before. It was then that I realized he also expects to live tomorrow and he's gonna make it happen." @kassandrarosa commented, "I had a flight today from MIA to ORD and once we landed everyone clapped/cheered & it made me emotional thinking about those who didn’t get that chance last night." @clairemariespencer remarked, "I took a flight with Delta the day after the crash and the pilot was talking to us constantly, explaining every bit of turbulence and clearly going above and beyond to put us at ease."
@kaylavnef7e shared, "Pilots are really some amazing people. To take on that responsibility of having so many souls in their hands has got to be a tremendous amount of pressure." Another user expressed, "My husband got home from a trip that took him through DCA just a couple of hours before we heard this news. I’ve never hugged him so hard." @swimshark pointed out, "Can I have this pilot when I go home from Europe? I’m legit nervous for the first time ever to fly anywhere near America—it’s been like four planes in 2025 already."
@leighterhaters Life is short, hug your people ❤️ whoever is the pilot on AA1044 to MIA, i love you #unitedbywings #americanairlines #blackhawk #crash75 #planecrash #aviation #flightcrew #flightattendant ♬ original sound - Leighton Mixon
You can follow Leighton Mixon (@leighterhaters) on TikTok for more lifestyle content.
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