‘It was my duty" to Be There: Catholic Priest at Crash Site of Deadly Midair Plane Collision in Washington, DC

Edlefsen coordinated with a parishioner and Knight of Columbus who had a background in law enforcement. The parishioner escorted the priest to the airport and the Admirals Lounge of American Airlines. 

“We were able to be present, not only to the grieving families but also to the personnel who, when they went to work this morning, they didn’t know this was going to hit them,” Edlefsen said. 

Edlefsen remained with the families, listening to them and praying with them as they awaited news about their loved ones in the crash. It wasn’t until past 1 in the morning that the families learned there were no survivors. 

“At around 1 or 1:30 more or less — that’s when some law enforcement from Washington, D.C., came in and told the families that no, there are no survivors,” Edlefsen recalled. “Going from search and rescue to recovery and it can take some time also to identify the bodies and the remains of the deceased. So that was a hard hit for those families.”

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The crash was the first major U.S. commercial air crash in almost 16 years. 

Edlefsen emphasized how important it is to respect the privacy of families who are grieving and “who are still trying to grasp what happened.”   

“A tragedy like this not only provokes grief, but it’s a very intimate grief,” he reflected. “It was probably one of the most intense grief moments and situations I’ve ever seen in my own almost 24 years of priesthood.”

The tragedy is especially devastating because of its magnitude. The plane had been carrying 60 passengers and four crew, while the helicopter had three soldiers aboard. The effects reverberated across the nation as those aboard the passenger plane were from all across the U.S., including Wichita, Kansas; Boston; and Washington, D.C. 

“Because usually these happen within families, or one or two at a time,” Edlefson said. “But this was multiple families. Several people have lost several loved ones. Everybody is in total shock. They don’t know what to say or how to react. And they’re waiting for the best news.”  

When asked how he responded as a minister, Edlefsen said he focused on simply being present.

“The backstop here and the presumption is you don’t say anything,” he said. “You’re just present. You listen.”

Amid the grief, it’s essential to be present and listening, Edlefsen explained.  

“It’s hard to explain, but it’s more often than not OK to say ‘Can we pray together?’ And it has to be simple and short,” he said. “But right now the best thing is to say nothing. Presence is what’s important and reassurance of your presence. But also at the same time, maybe, a willingness to pray, maybe give someone a blessing if they ask for it. But to have the Church visibly present is absolutely key.” 

Edlefsen is set to offer a vigil Mass at 5:30 this Saturday for the victims of the crash and their families as well as others involved — American Airlines personnel, Reagan Airport personnel, first responders, and all the people working in the background.

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Kate Quiñones is a staff writer for Catholic News Agency and a fellow of the College Fix. She has been published by the Wall Street Journal, the Denver Catholic Register, and CatholicVote, and she graduated from Hillsdale College. She lives in Colorado with her husband.