The devastated relatives of an 11 year old girl, who tragically died alongside her mother in a medical jet crash, have expressed their profound grief, saying they are “experiencing all the pain in the world” while tributes for the victims continue to flood in.
Valentina Guzman Murillo and her mother Lizeth Murillo Ozuna, aged 31, were among the seven fatalities when a medical plane went down in a Philadelphia neighbourhood on Friday night.
The young girl had recently received critical medical treatment in the US and was returning to Mexico with her mother when the tragedy occurred. The Learjet 55 had departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and was airborne for only a minute before shocking footage captured it bursting into flames and crashing to the ground.
All those aboard, including Captain Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales, Co-pilot Josue de Jesus Juarez Juarez, Dr. Raul Meza Arredondo, and paramedic Rodrigo Lopez Padilla, perished in the incident, as confirmed by Mayor Cherelle Parker in a statement on Saturday. Additionally, a motorist on the ground was killed by the impact, and numerous others were injured, with three remaining in critical condition and five hospitalised.
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Fabi Guzman, a relative of Valentina and Lizeth, took to social media with a heartrending tribute, writing: “With all the pain in the world and on behalf of my family, I want to thank you for each of your messages and calls. We are going through a very painful time and our hearts are in pieces. I ask for prayers and eternal rest for my girls.”
Valentina had been receiving treatment at Shriners Children’s Philadelphia for some months before the tragedy, as confirmed by the hospital, which expressed deep sorrow: “Shriners Children’s is heartbroken to confirm that one of our paediatric patients and the child’s mother were aboard the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance that crashed in Philadelphia,” Valentina was remembered as a “fighter” by César Esparza, whose child went to school with her, in comments made to the New York Times.
Additionally, praise for Valentina’s courage came from Shai Gold, spokesperson for Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, who lamented the tragic end to her bravery: “She did her course of care. She was going home. She fought quite a lot to survive, and unfortunately, this tragedy on the way home,” Gold stated, reports the Mirror US.
The tragedy has also seen outpouring of support from relatives of others affected; Shantelle Fletcher shared about her cousin Dominique, 33, who was hurt while on the ground. She told NBC10: “She is in a medically-induced coma,” “Seventy percent of her body is burnt. She’s responding well to medication. She has surgery scheduled for today.”
Trey Howard, aged 10, is still in hospital after being struck on the head by metal while in a car close to where an accident occurred. His father, Andre Howard, has said that his son was acting to shield his sister when he was injured “The way it landed, it was only because he laid on his sister, he landed right on the right side of his head,” Andre explained.