Elizabeth Keys: Recognizing the Heroes from the Washington D.C. Plane Crash

On January 31st at around 9 PM, American Eagle Flight 5432 collided with a UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter while arriving at Ronald Reagan National Airport. The plane contained 60 passengers and 4 crews, while the helicopter contained 3 military members, all of whom, unfortunately, passed away. With 55 of the victims currently identified, I want to recognize all of the heroes from this tragedy, each of whom had personal backstories and lives that they could not continue. I hope my readers will understand how this event exemplifies the unexpected nature of life, provide our deepest condolences to all of the members involved in this incident, and embrace gratitude as we go on with our lives.

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Here is a tribute to Elizabeth Anne Keys, an attorney, daughter, and partner who will be greatly missed.

Elizabeth was born on January 29th, 1992. Yet, just 33 years later on the same day, she passed away from this tragic incident. Keys' partner, David Seidman, articulated that the couple was going to celebrate her birthday once she arrived.

While Elizabeth could not celebrate, she greatly contributed to the community around her during her time on Earth. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, she graduated from Maderia High School in 2010 as her school's valedictorian. Elizabeth then studied economics and community health at Tufts University, while also being an active member of the varsity sailing team, marathon team, and Tufts Concert.

Since graduating, Keys worked as an attorney at Wilkinson Skeloff Law Firm based in Washington DC. At her workplace, she was renowned for her pro bono cases, even being on the D.C. Court of Appeals Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll. In fact, she was arriving from a work trip when this accident occurred, also leading to the death of her co-worker Sarah Lee Best.

While we, as readers, might not have known Elizabeth Keys on a personal level, her mother expresses that "Liz was a dear friend to so many, offering her best self to them all", and her friends and close connections all attest to her "fearlessness, humor, and sharp wit".

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As we step into the next chapter in our own lives, let us take a moment to recognize that all the victims of the Washington DC plane crash were as "human" as we are now with the same passions, dreams, and goals for the future. Hence, this common ground between humans further underscores the need to recognize the victims of these unfortunate accidents, just as we would want to be recognized after our deaths.

Cover page via Spectrum News

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 Originally published at themedtales.com