Man who died in plane crash saves girlfriend’s life by pushing her from Cessna

A man who died in a plane crash at the weekend is being hailed as a hero for saving his girlfriend’s life just moments before the aircraft came down. Relatives say Reginald Hilliard Jr, 25, pushed Brianna Davis out of the plane and into the lake it was hurtling towards just moments before the small aircraft crashed. 

“This was his first plane flight ever. First time he flew on a plane. And it was a surprise from his girlfriend Brianna.” Yolanda White Mr Hilliard was afraid to fly, family told local media, and the flight in a small Cessna 172 aircraft was his first time in a plane. Both he and the pilot, who has not been named, were killed when the plane came down in Lake Pontchartrain, New Orleans at 9pm on Saturday night. Ms Davis was the sole survivor. She was picked out of the water by a passing yacht and taken to hospital. “He’s the hero. He was a hero living. You know, he died that way,” 

Mr Hilliard’s cousin Yolanda White told WDSU. “This was his first plane flight ever. First time he flew on a plane. And it was a surprise from his girlfriend Brianna.” The bodies of Mr Hilliard and and the pilot were recovered from the wreckage on Tuesday. 

Living hero The father-of-three was from Baton Rouge, Louisiana was known by friends and family as “Lil’ Reg”. He worked as a tattoo artist and rapper under the stage name Another Night. Reginald Hilliard Sr believes his son died because he was also trying to save the pilot – who was found in the wreckage still strapped into his seat.

“Whether he knew you or not, he wouldn’t leave you behind, and that is the reason why I lost my son,” Mr Hilliard Sr, 45, told The Advocate. “Because he refused to leave anybody behind.” Local authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.