Exclusive: Venice mom mourns son lost on American Eagle flight

Reporter: Jillian Haggerty
Published: Updated:
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      A tragic plane crash en route to Washington D.C. has left a Southwest Florida mother grieving the loss of her son.

      Christina Stovall, who resides in Venice part-time with her husband, shared her story exclusively with WINK News.

      Her son, Mikey Stovall, was aboard American Airlines’ American Eagle Flight 5342, which crashed with a military helicopter before plunging into the Potomac River while en route to Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C.

      Sixty-four people on board the plane and three people in the Black Hawk helicopter all died at the scene. There were no survivors.

      Christina Stovall described her son as an amazing father, friend and son.

      “There was seven wonderful guys there,” said Christina Stovall. “Mikey did not have one enemy. If you see pictures of him, which I’m sure I’m going to post on there, he was the life of the party. He loved everybody. He didn’t see color, he didn’t see anything. He’s the happiest person. He saw good in everybody, almost to a fault.”

      Her son had been on his annual trip to Wichita, Kansas, to hunt duck and pheasant with friends. Tragically, this would be his last flight.

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          Stovall and her husband are now making their way back to Virginia to be with more family members as they remember Mikey Stovall.

          He was not alone on the ill-fated flight; several of his friends were also on board.

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