Flight attendant killed in DC plane crash was former BBYO boy

Ian Epstein, one of the flight attendants killed in a crash between an American Airlines plane and a US army helicopter over Washington DC, will be laid to rest in a Jewish funeral service held on Wednesday by Chabad of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Epstein, who lived in Charlotte, was one of 67 victims of the midair collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a military helicopter above the Potomac River last week.

Rabbi Yossi Groner, director of Chabad of the Carolinas, said that although Epstein was not deeply affiliated in Chabad, “He was always warm and friendly. He knew so much about Chabad, he told me, because his sister and brother-in-law attend Chabad of Union County, New Jersey.”

After one Charlotte-bound flight, Rabbi Groner reportedly invited Epstein to visit Chabad of Charlotte and put on tefillin. “He had a demanding flying schedule, but he said, ‘One day I’ll come,’” Groner said. “Unfortunately, the one day he is coming is for his own funeral.”

Jewish youth group BBYO also commented on Epstein’s passing, writing on social media: “Our 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.

Epstein’s ex-wife told People Magazine he was not originally meant to be on that 29 January flight but switched shifts with a colleague so he could go golfing the day before the crash.

She added that Epstein had a “passion” for travelling and “absolutely loved” being a flight attendant, a job he started in February 2020.

“He wanted to do it so badly, and I wanted him to have his dream,” she said.

“He died doing absolutely what he loved. He loved interacting with people. He loved traveling. … He was a character. He was a comedian. He enjoyed putting on a show, and he did. He brought that to being a flight attendant and greeting everybody with a smile and just making them feel comfortable flying.”

According to the Washington Post, his family said in a statement: “His true love was his family. He was a father, a stepfather, a husband and a brother. 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.”