Friends and family of a woman who died while aboard an American Airlines flight to North Carolina in late February have identified her as an Indiana mother of two in multiple media reports.
Stefanie Smith, 41, reportedly fell ill Feb. 28 while on the Charlotte-bound flight from Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Crew members on the flight administered medical aid to Smith until the flight was diverted to an island southeast of the Bahamas so she could be transported to a nearby hospital, where she later died.
A GoFundMe page set up to help her son and daughter described Smith as ” a daughter, sister, best friend, and an amazing mother of two beautiful children.”
“Her endless love for her family, friends, and community will leave a lasting impact on all who had the privilege of knowing her,” the GoFundMe page stated.
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Family members say Smith appeared healthy before flight, according to reports
Smith had reportedly been returning home after vacationing in the Dominican Republic with her boyfriend, the woman’s friend Maria Yannotti, told ABC News.
Friends and family quoted in several media reports expressed shock about Smith’s sudden death, stating that they had no reason to believe she had any pre-existing conditions.
“She loves going to the gym every day, even while we were in the Dominican,” Yannotti, who traveled to the Dominican Republic separately, told ABC News. “She made it a point to get up every morning to go to the gym and run on the beach.”
Yannotti told the outlet that Smith’s boyfriend was sitting next to her on the flight when her eyes rolled back and she started convulsing.
Smith’s brother Chris Volz told ABC News that she was the mother of two children: an 18-year-old son and a 16-year-old daughter.
“Stefanie will be so deeply missed by every single person who knew her, and we pray that the memory of her kind soul will live on forever,” the GoFundMe stated. “Please keep the family in your prayers during this devastating time.”
Autopsy will determine cause of death
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, the agency that investigated the incident, received a call just after 6 p.m. local time during the day of the flight from the Air Traffic Control Tower requesting medical assistance.
A medical team and police were dispatched to the Providenciales International Airport where the flight was diverted to transport Smith to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Medical examiners are conducting an autopsy to determine a cause of death, the police said.
American Airlines had no new information to share when reached Friday by USA TODAY.
USA TODAY left a message Friday with the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force seeking to verify the woman’s identity and cause of death that were not immediately returned.
Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stefanie Smith identified as woman who died on flight to NC: Reports
