One of the flight attendants in the recent plane crash over the Potomac River was an alumnus of BBYO, the youth group stated on Thursday.
Ian Epstein is one of 67 victims of the crash Wednesday night, in which an American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kan., collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter while on approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va. There were no survivors.
BBYO stated that its “hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of Ian Epstein,” an alumnus of the high school fraternity Aleph Zadik Aleph, which is part of BBYO.
“Ian was a proud member of our movement and attended our summer leadership camps at Perlman in 1987,” BBYO added.
“Ian Epstein was full of life. He loved being a flight attendant, because he truly enjoyed traveling and meeting new people,” the victim’s family stated, according to The Washington Post.
“His true love was his family. He was a father, a stepfather, a husband and a brother,” the family added. “He will be truly missed. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and support we’ve received, but at this time we would ask for privacy as we process and grieve our loss.”
A video of Epstein entertaining passengers on past flights with jokes, witty remarks and dancing has gone viral since his death.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid extended his condolences to the American people on Thursday.
“We are all deeply shocked at the tragic plane crash near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.,” he stated. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Israel stands with the American people at this difficult moment.”
