The father of 28-year-old PSA Airlines co-pilot Sam Lilley fought back tears as he spoke about his son’s tragic death in the deadly mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, as reported by The Independent Journal Review.

Appearing on NewsNation, Tim Lilley shared that his only solace in the devastating loss is knowing that his son “was right with Jesus.”

The horrific accident occurred Wednesday evening when a PSA Airlines jet collided with a military helicopter in the skies over Washington, D.C. The crash took the lives of all on board, including Sam Lilley, who was serving as the flight’s co-pilot. PSA Airlines is part of the American Airlines group.

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Speaking with Chris Cuomo on Cuomo, Tim Lilley struggled to process the immense loss, pausing as he recalled his son’s unwavering faith. “It doesn’t make sense,” he said, holding back tears.

“Sam’s right with Jesus, and I know where he’s going, and I just love that kid, and I’m sorry—”

Before he could finish, Cuomo reassured him there was no need to apologize.

“That’s the only thing that gives me any comfort at all, is I know where he [is],” Lilley added, his voice thick with emotion.

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News of the deadly collision spread rapidly, with reports first emerging on social media. Reagan Airport confirmed the incident in a post around 9:12 p.m. local time, stating that emergency personnel had been dispatched to the scene.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) statement provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation confirmed that the American Airlines flight had originated in Wichita, Kansas.

For Sam Lilley, becoming a pilot was a calling he pursued with passion. His father shared that Sam originally majored in marketing at Georgia Southern University but quickly realized he was meant for something different.

“Sam, well, he went to Georgia Southern, and he was a marketing major. He was excited about that career, but he got started in marketing and worked there for like two months,” Lilley recalled.

“He called me up. He said, ‘Dad, I hate my job. I want to be an airline pilot.’ I was like, ‘Well, now you tell me.’”

Determined to make his dream a reality, Sam wasted no time, throwing himself into aviation training with relentless dedication. His father proudly recounted how his son achieved his goal in just a few years and found a home at PSA Airlines, where he excelled in his career.

Beyond his professional success, Sam had built a fulfilling personal life. He was engaged to a woman his family adored, and they had been eagerly anticipating her joining their family.

“The girl he’s engaged to is just wonderful, and we all loved her. We were just so glad she was gonna join our family. It’s just a tragedy,” Lilley said.

The Lilley family first learned of the crash while watching news reports, unaware at first that their son had been on board. As more details emerged, dread set in.

“I was watching the news, and we saw it as an accident. I didn’t think it was any way Sam, and I knew he was on a trip,” Lilley explained.

A phone call to Sam’s fiancée confirmed their worst fears. “So I, through my wife, got in touch with his fiancée, and we found out what trip he was on. It was the same trip. He wasn’t answering the phone. That’s when I knew,” he said.

The realization hit hard.

“It takes a little while for it to sink in. I just thought maybe he was flying a different route. We turn our phones off when we’re on a flight. So he was really good about doing that. So I just figured maybe he was on another flight. But when it started sinking, and it really was him, I just fell apart,” Lilley admitted.

On Thursday morning, U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz announced that the investigation had shifted from response to recovery mode.

Officials confirmed that the crash claimed the lives of all 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the American Airlines flight, as well as three soldiers who had been in the Army Black Hawk helicopter.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), alongside the FAA, continues to investigate the cause of the tragic mid-air collision. For Tim Lilley and his family, no investigation or report can bring back the son they lost, but their faith offers them strength in the darkest of times.