LAFAYETTE PARISH — A somber connection to Wednesday’s deadly plane crash in Washington D.C. is being felt here in Lafayette. Three local residents, Gloria Wheeler, Roxanne Andrus, and Michelle Livings, said they flew from Reagon National to Lafayette Regional Airport just two days before tragedy struck.
The American Airlines flight attendants who tragically lost their lives in the crash—Ian Epstein and Danasia Elder—were part of the crew that served the trio during their flight home on Monday evening.
Roxanne Andrus recalls their experience with the flight attendants. "It was about a two-hour flight and he [Epstein] was just up and down, making sure everything was okay," Andrus said. "My friends drank all the red wine, so he came to me and said, 'They drank all the red wine, but I have white and I have champagne.' I said, 'I'll just take white.' He was just so wonderful, and he joked, 'You know, if you marry me, you can fly free.' I said, 'I'll marry you, sir!'"
The three women remember Epstein’s kindness and attention, a sentiment that stuck with them even after they left the plane. Wheeler even invited Epstein to visit her establishment for a meal, something they talked about during their brief interaction.
Andrus said she was deeply shaken when she learned of the collision involving Epstein and Elder on Wednesday, when their plane collided with a Blackhawk helicopter in Washington D.C. "They were very impactful for us," Andrus said. "Even though it sounds crazy, I literally sent my boys a text message. I have two sons in New York and one in D.C., and I said, 'Best flight crew ever.'"
