A grieving father is drawing strength from his faith after the tragic loss of his son, Sam Lilley, a pilot who perished in a midair collision involving an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army helicopter near Washington, D.C. Tim Lilley, the father of the late pilot, expressed his sorrow but affirmed that he knows his son is “right with Jesus.”

The devastating crash occurred Wednesday night near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, leading to one of the deadliest air disasters in the U.S. in nearly 24 years. Officials have confirmed that emergency teams have recovered multiple bodies, with no expected survivors among the 64 passengers on the jet and three aboard the helicopter.

In the wake of this tragedy, Tim Lilley spoke with News Nation’s Chris Cuomo, sharing the deep pain of losing his son while clinging to the comfort of faith.

“Sam’s right with Jesus, and I know where he’s going,” Lilley said, his voice filled with both grief and hope. “We just need time. My family … and time. Lots of prayers.”

Sam Lilley was engaged to be married in the fall, and his family described him as a kind-hearted man who was thriving in both his career and personal life.

“I was so proud when Sam became a pilot. Now it hurts so bad I can’t even cry myself to sleep,” Tim Lilley wrote in an emotional Facebook post. “I know I’ll see him again, but my heart is breaking. He was doing great in his career and his personal life. He was engaged to get married in the fall. It is so devastating to lose someone that is loved so much.”

Before his aviation career, Sam studied marketing but later pursued his passion for flying. He attended Georgia Southern University, graduating in 2018, before joining PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines based in Charlotte, North Carolina. His alma mater released a statement remembering him as an outstanding alumnus who had soared in his career.

The elder Lilley, a former Army helicopter pilot, was familiar with the skies over Washington, D.C., having flown missions in the same airspace in the 1990s. When reports of the crash surfaced, he initially did not believe it involved his son. However, after contacting Sam’s fiancée and learning his son’s flight route, including Washington, his worst fears were confirmed.

For Tim Lilley, the weight of grief is immense, but his faith provides a beacon of hope. He knows that his son’s walk with Christ ensures they will be reunited one day.

“I know Sam is with Jesus,” he said, calling on others to pray for their family as they navigate the unimaginable loss.