The family of slain NBCLA helicopter reporter Eliana Moreno has spoken out for the first time since the fiery crash that claimed her life.
Moreno, 38, died Tuesday alongside pilot George Marciniw and pedestrian Edy Gutierrez Mejia when the news helicopter plummeted to the ground while covering a T-bone collision between an SUV and a Metro bus in the Los Angeles area. Her relatives released their statement through her brother Johan Moreno, who posted it on X.
“Since she was 11 years old, Eliana dreamed of becoming a news reporter. Through hard work and courage, she turned that dream into a reality,” her family wrote.
The relatives found a measure of solace in the circumstances of her final moments. “We find comfort in knowing that Eliana left this world doing the very thing she loved, pursuing the passion she carried with her since she was a little girl,” they continued.
The statement also conveyed the depth of their loss and pride. “We are infinitely proud of her and feel incredibly blessed to have had the privilege of loving her and calling her ours,” they added.
Moreno leaves behind five siblings, a fiancé, stepchildren and dogs. Her death has shaken the Southern California news community, where she had built her career in the competitive Los Angeles television market.
The crash occurred while the helicopter was providing aerial coverage of a traffic incident involving an SUV that had slammed into a Metro bus. Moments into that assignment, the aircraft fell from the sky, killing all three victims and sparking a fiery scene on the ground.
Federal aviation investigators are examining what caused the helicopter to go down during what had begun as a routine breaking-news flight. The National Transportation Safety Board typically takes months to complete such probes, examining factors including weather conditions, mechanical systems and pilot communications.
Marciniw, the pilot, was a veteran aviator whose death has also drawn tributes from colleagues in the aerial news industry. Gutierrez Mejia, the pedestrian killed on the ground, was in the wrong place at the wrong time when the aircraft came down.
The SUV-Metro bus collision that drew the helicopter to the scene had itself been a significant traffic incident, but it was quickly overshadowed by the far deadlier aviation disaster unfolding overhead.
Moreno’s family emphasized her lifelong commitment to journalism, tracing her ambition back to childhood. The brother who shared their words on X, Johan Moreno, helped broadcast their grief to a wide audience on the platform formerly known as Twitter.
The statement did not address the circumstances of the crash or any investigation into its cause, focusing instead on celebrating Moreno’s life and the fulfillment of her childhood dream.