Brazilian television presenter Angélica has paid an emotional tribute to aviation specialist and influencer Lito Sousa following his death at the age of 59.
Sousa, the creator of the popular YouTube channel Aviões e Músicas, died on Thursday after battling a rare disease.
Angélica, 52, dedicated the closing segment of her programme Angélica ao Vivo to the aviation expert. The talk show airs on GNT, a Brazilian cable network owned by Grupo Globo that specialises in lifestyle and interview programming. During the broadcast, she lamented his passing and recalled the personal help she received from him after surviving a plane crash a decade ago.
Speaking on the programme, Angélica sent her affection to Sousa's family, his friends and everyone who followed his work. She noted that she was among the many people whose lives had been touched and comforted by his explanations.
Support following 2015 aircraft accident
Angélica and her husband, fellow television host Luciano Huck, survived a forced landing of a twin-engine plane on 24 May 2015, travelling with the couple's three children. Both presenters are among Brazil's most prominent media personalities, having hosted flagship entertainment programmes for TV Globo across several decades.
During the GNT broadcast, Angélica revealed that Sousa had stepped forward to explain the accident in the period following the emergency landing. She said that his guidance was very important for her children and played a critical part in their recovery at that time. Describing Sousa as a person who was special to her and to countless others, she brought her tribute to an end by bidding him farewell until his next flight.
Aviation channel and fear of flying
Sousa became widely known across Brazil for bringing the public closer to aviation through his channel Aviões e Músicas. Before establishing himself as a prominent online communicator, he spent more than three decades working as an aircraft maintenance technician. He drew upon that technical background to unpack flight mechanics, airline safety measures and routine operational situations that often cause apprehension among air travellers.
In the travel industry, fear of flying, often referred to as aerophobia, affects millions of passengers who feel acute distress during flights. The phobia is frequently triggered by a lack of familiarity with turbulence, engine sounds or standard flight maneuvers. Sousa focused on breaking down these technical realities into accessible language, earning a reputation for helping anxious passengers overcome their fears.
Following the news of his death, other high-profile figures praised his legacy in helping travellers deal with flight anxiety. Actress and comedian Tata Werneck previously recounted that an in-depth conversation with Sousa had enabled her to travel on an aeroplane with her daughter, Clara Maria. Writing about the experience, Werneck said she had finally managed to board a flight with her daughter after years of avoidance, expressing gratitude to God and to Sousa, and wishing him well in the name of Jesus.
Public memorial service
A wake for Sousa will be open to the public, offering followers, viewers and members of the aviation community an opportunity to pay their final respects.
