Mila Seidl has backed a fan petition to rename Guarulhos Airport in Sao Paulo after her late husband, aviation specialist Lito Sousa.
The aviation communicator and online personality died on Thursday, October 1, in Sao Paulo, just over a month after being diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, an exceptionally rare and fatal degenerative brain condition that struck suddenly.
Supporters launched the online campaign shortly after his death, seeking to rename the international facility in honour of his contributions to civil aviation. Writing on her Instagram stories, Seidl shared the petition with followers and offered her support for the tribute. She said that while she did not know whether the idea was viable from a legal and bureaucratic standpoint, naming an airport after him would be the best possible representation of his life, far superior to having a street carry his name.
Fan petition for Guarulhos Airport
Guarulhos Airport, officially known as Governor Andre Franco Montoro International Airport, is the busiest airport in Brazil and serves as the primary international gateway into South America. Renaming federal transport hubs in Brazil generally requires formal legislative proposals in the National Congress or executive action from the government.
Sousa was widely recognised across Brazil as the creator and host of Aviões e Músicas, a channel dedicated to demystifying the world of commercial aviation and bringing ordinary passengers closer to the industry. Through his accessible videos and broadcasts, he regularly explained technical cockpit procedures, strange mechanical sounds, severe turbulence, and flight safety protocols to ease public anxiety.
His work earned him an affectionate following among nervous passengers, including Brazilian actress Sophia Valverde, who said Sousa had helped her conquer her fear of flying.
Wake and tributes in Sao Paulo
Friends, relatives, and admirers gathered on Friday morning, October 2, to pay their final respects to Sousa during a wake held in Sao Paulo. His son presented a floral tribute during the ceremony, while Seidl shared that her husband had recorded video lessons for the boy before his condition worsened.
Speaking at the wake, Seidl reflected on her husband's sudden decline, describing Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease as an overwhelming illness that alters everything within days. The rare condition, which affects roughly one person in a million each year, causes rapid brain tissue damage, swift loss of motor functions, and cognitive collapse.
Seidl said it was impossible to be certain whether Sousa remained fully conscious throughout his final days. She explained that once he stopped speaking, the family lost their clearest gauge of his awareness, though they believed he could still understand them, which she noted was rare in such cases.
She recalled that as he gradually lost his faculties, she would speak to him and he would answer by blinking, adding that if that counted as a conversation, it was indeed their final conversation.
