The family of NBC4 aerial photojournalist Eliana Moreno has broken its silence following her death in a Los Angeles news helicopter crash.
Moreno, whose brother Johan serves as a deputy with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, perished Tuesday evening alongside veteran pilot George Marciniw when their aircraft went down in the Chatsworth neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley. The helicopter, operated by Angel City Air for NBC4 and Telemundo 52, also killed 29-year-old pedestrian Edy Gutierrez Mejia on impact.
Her relatives issued their statement Thursday through Johan, who shared it on social media on behalf of Moreno’s parents, five siblings, fiancé Robert Barrientos, stepsons, and beloved pets. The message traced her ambition back to childhood and framed her death as a loss suffered in pursuit of a lifelong calling.
“Since she was 11 years old, Eliana dreamed of becoming a news reporter,” the family wrote. “Through hard work and courage, she turned that dream into a reality.”
The statement continued with gratitude toward the viewers who had welcomed her into their homes over her years in broadcast journalism.
“So much of that journey was made possible by all of you who welcomed her into your homes and onto your screens. Your support meant more to her than you may ever know.”
Her relatives added that they took solace in the circumstances of her final moments, however tragic.
“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.”
The family also extended their condolences beyond their own loss, urging the public to remember Marciniw, Gutierrez Mejia, and those affected by the separate fatal collision the crew had been covering when the crash occurred.
Johan Moreno posted his own tribute alongside the family statement, captioning it “RIP to my sister Eliana Moreno ❤️.” In a separate message, he wrote: “RIP sis, I will love you to the end of time,” calling the day of the crash the “worst day of our lives.”
The crew had been providing live aerial coverage of a deadly crash involving a Metro bus and an SUV just blocks from where their helicopter descended. That ground collision had already claimed lives before the news aircraft added to the toll.
Moreno built her career over more than a decade after graduating from Chapman University with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. She began working as an aerial reporter and photographer in 2010, becoming a familiar presence to Southern California viewers during breaking emergencies, police pursuits, and major brushfires.
She maintained an online presence under the handle “Eli in the heli,” offering followers behind-the-scenes glimpses of aerial reporting mixed with personal moments.
Federal investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration remain at the Chatsworth crash site working to determine an official cause.