NFL Running Back Flew Crashed Jet Months Before Palm Beach Tragedy
Joe Mixon says he shared a flight with the two pilots who died when a private Learjet 60 crashed in South Florida on Sunday, killing all nine people aboard.
By John Ferrari ·
The connection between a prominent athlete and a fatal aviation accident has surfaced days after a private jet crashed in Palm Beach County. Joe Mixon, a two-time Pro Bowl running back, announced on Monday that he had previously flown on the same aircraft that burst into flames on Sunday.
Mixon stated that he traveled on the jet last month with the two pilots who perished in the crash. The plane was a Learjet 60 that had departed from Texas and was heading to the Bahamas. It descended rapidly and exploded, scattering debris across a residential area in South Florida. All nine individuals on board died.
Investigators are currently examining severe weather conditions in the region as a primary factor in the accident. Officials indicated that the stormy atmosphere is a major focus of their inquiry into the cause of the crash. The identity of the pilots was confirmed by their former employer, East Coast Jets.
Jeff Gregory, age 55, served as the pilot of the aircraft. He died alongside co-pilot Nathalia Filgueiras, a 20-year-old native of Palm Beach County. Filgueiras had long aspired to a career in aviation. Mixon described the two as incredible professionals and genuinely wonderful people, noting that the young woman’s bright future makes her sudden death particularly heartbreaking.
The other seven passengers were members of two families. Tech executive Adam Robinson was aboard with his wife, Helen Sharp, and their two children, Emma and Charlie. Their nanny, Anita Maria Cetina, also died in the crash. A couple who were friends of the family, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, were also on the plane.
Families of the victims issued statements on Monday to identify the deceased. They described Robinson and Sharp as devoted parents who loved their four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son deeply. The family highlighted Cetina’s tenderness and devotion in caring for the children. They characterized Reed and Fehr as people full of joy and adventure who loved their friends fiercely.
Mixon expressed his grief on social media, dedicating his thoughts and prayers to the grieving families. He called the event a tragic reminder of how fragile life is. The Houston Texans had Mixon on their roster for the 2025 season before his recent revelation.
