Will 

This is a long one, so thank you if you take the time to read it. I’ve been thinking about this pretty much nonstop all week, trying to find the words. The day after we lost Eliana and George, I shared a small tribute on my radio show on Country 106.9 in Palmdale/Lancaster. But there’s still so much on my heart, and I wanted to share some of it here. I still can’t believe we’ll never hear Eliana’s voice reporting another story from the helicopter. We never met in person, but like a lot of you, I connected with her here on social media. We talked about police chases over the years, and she was always kind and generous with her audience. I loved how much she loved her animals, too. Anyone with a soft spot for animals already has a head start with me. Between those glimpses into her life, our conversations, and her reporting, she became someone I felt I knew. I’m still trying to understand why losing someone I never met has hit me this hard. She had such a gift for reporting, from everyday stories to breaking news, fire coverage, and especially police chases. You could hear how engaged she was, and she kept you right there with her. What always amazed me during pursuits was her composure when a car disappeared under an overpass or between buildings. She’d keep talking us through it, even answering questions from the anchors back at the station, all while finding that car again. I would’ve been frantically searching, zooming in and out… she made it all seem so effortless. When I was 13 and just starting out as a radio intern, I became friends with the station’s traffic reporter, who’s still a friend today. He went on to report from news helicopters for several Los Angeles TV stations and has since retired from that work. Another friend took a similar path from radio traffic to television helicopter reporting in LA. He was covering the same story as Eliana that day. Those friendships have given me a deeper appreciation for the people doing this work, and the risks behind the reports we watch from the ground. My heart breaks for her fiancé, her family, her friends, and her colleagues at NBC4, Telemundo 52, and Angel City Air. I’m thinking, too, of the reporters, pilots, aerial photographers, and crews she and George shared the sky with over the years. And her doggies and chickens, who won’t understand why she isn’t coming home. And George. We heard his name countless times when Eliana mentioned “her pilot George” during her reports. Behind those stories was his skill, care, and dedication. My heart goes out to his family, his friends, and everyone who loved him. I’m also thinking of everyone who felt connected to Eliana through the warmth and kindness she shared here. Especially @pupscanla, who shares my interest in police chases and local news and is also a scanner enthusiast. He got to fly with her and George and still dreams of becoming a photojournalist, even after this heartbreaking loss. It’s hard not to think about their final moments aboard N358TV and the people who witnessed what happened. I can’t bring myself to watch any of those videos. Even hearing her voice in clips of her reporting is still too much right now. Thank you, Eliana, for your reporting, your kindness, and our conversations over the years. And thank you, George, for the skill and care behind every flight. Fly high, you two. May you both rest in peace. 🤍