{"id":1985,"date":"2026-11-04T09:24:35","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T14:24:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inhishands\/?p=1985"},"modified":"2026-11-04T09:24:35","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T14:24:35","slug":"pilot-killed-in-florida-plane-crash-recited-lords-prayer-before-death-church-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inhishands\/2026\/11\/pilot-killed-in-florida-plane-crash-recited-lords-prayer-before-death-church-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Pilot Killed in Florida Plane Crash Recited Lord’s Prayer Before Death, Church Says"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Left: Aki Kuusisto \/ X | Right: JeffnCheryl Corbin-Gregory \/ Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A pilot who reportedly recited the Lord’s Prayer in the final moments before a deadly plane crash<\/a> in Florida is being remembered as a devoted Christian whose faith remained strong until the very end.<\/p>\n

Captain Jeff Gregory, 55, was among nine people killed Sunday when a private Learjet crashed near a mobile home community in Greenacres, Florida, while traveling from Texas to the Bahamas.<\/p>\n

Gregory, a married father of three from Pennsylvania, was a longtime member of Limerick Chapel<\/a>, where his parents had also worked. Following the tragedy, the church shared the heartbreaking news of his death with its congregation.<\/p>\n

Gregory “went home to be with the Lord when the plane he was flying crashed,” the church wrote in an email to members, according to The Sun.<\/p>\n

The pilot’s final moments have drawn attention after audio recordings reportedly captured him reciting the Lord’s Prayer<\/a> as the aircraft rapidly descended toward the ground.<\/p>\n

According to reports, the Learjet plunged approximately 27,000 feet in just one minute before crashing in a residential area and bursting into flames.<\/p>\n

Gregory’s 20-year-old co-pilot, Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, was reportedly heard screaming<\/a> that they were going to die as the aircraft fell.<\/p>\n

For those who knew Gregory, his reported decision to turn to prayer in his final moments reflected the Christian faith that had been central to his life.<\/p>\n

David Peters, a former neighbor and close friend, described Gregory as a hardworking, dependable man who had dreamed of becoming a pilot since childhood.<\/p>\n

“I know he worked hard to become a pilot and it was something he truly loved and poured his life and heart into,” Peters told The Sun.<\/p>\n

Peters also remembered Gregory’s love of wearing his leather bomber jacket, which reflected his lifelong passion for aviation.<\/p>\n

Gregory leaves behind his wife, Cheryl, 53, and their three children.<\/p>\n

The crash also claimed the lives of Texas technology executive Adam Robinson, 44, his wife, Helen Sharp, and their two young children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2.<\/p>\n

Other victims included family friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, along with nanny Anita Maria Apellido Cetina.<\/p>\n

The aircraft crashed Sunday afternoon near a mobile home community, leaving a fiery crater in the street. Investigators said debris was scattered across an area extending approximately half a mile.<\/p>\n

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash. Authorities reported that the aircraft encountered extremely cold temperatures and turbulence, with possible ice accumulation among the conditions being examined. Investigators have not determined whether those factors contributed to the tragedy.<\/p>\n

Officials also confirmed that the aircraft began breaking apart before impact.<\/p>\n

As investigators work to determine what went wrong, Gregory’s church and loved ones are mourning a husband, father and man of faith.<\/p>\n

His reported final prayer has become a particularly moving detail of the tragedy, offering a glimpse of the faith he carried throughout his life.<\/p>\n

For fellow Christians, Gregory’s story is also a reminder of the comfort found in prayer, even in life’s most frightening and uncertain moments.<\/p>\n

As family and friends mourn the nine lives lost in this tragedy, please join us in praying for those left behind.<\/p>\n

Heavenly Father, we lift up the families and loved ones of all nine people who lost their lives in this tragic crash. Surround them with Your peace, comfort them in their grief, and give them strength in the difficult days ahead. May they feel Your loving presence and find hope in Your promises. In Jesus’ name, Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A pilot who reportedly recited the Lord’s Prayer in the final moments before a deadly plane crash in Florida is being remembered as a devoted Christian whose faith remained strong until the very end. Captain Jeff Gregory, 55, was among nine people killed Sunday when a private Learjet crashed near a mobile home community in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":1988,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nPilot Killed in Florida Plane Crash Recited Lord's Prayer Before Death, Church Says<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Captain Jeff Gregory, 55, was among nine killed in a Florida Learjet crash. 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