The birthday trip to the Bahamas became a journey of unimaginable loss after fiery plane crash
Nine people boarded a Learjet 60 bound for North Eleuthera but none made it to their destination. The aircraft crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, claiming nine lives.
The trip to the Bahamas was meant to be a celebration. Adam Robinson, 45, had reportedly chartered the Learjet to take his wife, Helen Sharp, their two young children, their nanny and two friends on a week-long trip to celebrate his birthday.
According to the New York Post, the family was looking forward to time together — a holiday that would bring loved ones together for a special occasion. Friends also recalled Robinson recently remarking that life was “going too well.”
Among the victims was Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20, a young woman whose ambition was to fly. She earned her private pilot’s licence at just 17, before obtaining her driver’s licence. After training through her high school’s aviation academy, she graduated from American Flyers flight school as she worked towards her dream of becoming a commercial pilot.
Jeff Gregory, 55, was the pilot in command. A husband to Cheryl and father of three, Gregory had dreamed of flying since childhood. His longtime friend David Peters recalled a young Jeff who loved aviation and wore a leather bomber jacket. He eventually turned that childhood fascination into a career, beginning his flight training in the 1990s. Friends remembered him as diligent, dependable and hardworking, with a Christian faith rooted in his upbringing.
Also aboard were Adam Robinson, 45, an Austin-based technology entrepreneur, his wife Helen Sharp, 40, and their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2.
Robinson was the CEO and co-founder of Retention.com and also led RB2B and Moltsets. Sharp was an entrepreneur, potter and public relations company owner. But beyond their professional lives, their families remembered them as devoted parents whose greatest joy was their children.
In a joint statement, their families described Adam and Helen’s relationship as “the love affair that will last forever,” remembering their warmth, generosity and ability to make others feel welcome. Emma and Charlie, they said, were “the light of their lives.”
Rachael Reed, an ICU nurse originally from the Oklahoma City area, was travelling with her fiancé, Charmi Fehr. Their families remembered two people building a life filled with “joy and adventure,” who loved their people “fiercely, fully and without hesitation.”
Also aboard was Anita Maria Cetina, who cared for Emma and Charlie and was considered part of the Robinson-Sharp family. Their loved ones said she showed them “a legacy of unconditional love and devotion.”
As federal investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the crash, including weather conditions and reports of icing and turbulence, the families expressed gratitude to first responders, investigators and the Palm Beach County community, while asking for privacy as they grieve.
