‘A void that can never be filled.’ Charlotte mother dies in American Airlines DC crash
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American Airlines plane crash in Washington
American Airlines flight 5342 from Wichita collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, 2025. Authorities said no one survived, including a Charlotte-based crew. Here is ongoing coverage from The Charlotte Observer.
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A Charlotte woman died aboard the American Airlines plane that crashed Wednesday into a military helicopter in Washington D.C., friends shared on social media Thursday.
Wendy Shaffer was a “radiant soul, a devoted wife… and an incredible mother to her two beautiful boys,” friends wrote in a GoFundMe posted Thursday.
Her sons, Shields, 3, and Bennett, 1, along with her husband, Nathan Shaffer, and everyone who knew Shaffer are left with “a void that can never be filled,” friends wrote on the donation page.
On Thursday, Nathan Shaffer’s friend and FOX News correspondent Bill Melugin posted a statement from Nathan on X:
“I’m still waiting to wake up from this nightmare,” Nathan Shaffer wrote to Melugin, “but I fear this is the truth. Wendy was not just beautiful on the outside, but was a truly amazing woman through and through. She was the best wife, mother, and friend that anyone could ever hope for. Her love, kindness, and strength touched everyone she met. We will miss you more than words can express, Wendy Jo. I love you endlessly! Rest in peace, my love.”
Melugin said he met the couple while working in Charlotte. Shaffer, he said, was “always smiling” and “such a sweetheart.”
“Heartbroken for Nate. We go from joking in our fantasy football group chat to this horrible news,” Melugin wrote on X.
Joe Bruno, a reporter for Charlotte Observer news partner WSOC, posted that he “had the honor of knowing Wendy,” in an X post that included Melugin’s post.
“She was incredibly friendly, funny and a joy to be around,” Bruno wrote. “Her husband, Nate, is an amazing guy.”
Shaffer “was the heart of her family… [who] dedicated her life to creating a warm, loving home filled with laughter and care,” according to the GoFundMe.
The page, which had raised $12,000 of its $18,000 goal as of Thursday afternoon, was created to “ease the financial burden” the family faces and ensure “the boys have the resources they need to thrive and that the family can focus on healing and honoring Wendy’s memory.”
By Thursday evening, $48,000 had been raised, and organizers had changed the goal to $65,000.
Amy Truhler-Maranda, of Minnesota, on Facebook Thursday posted the GoFundMe with tales of babysitting Shaffer.
“We had the best Disney sing-a-long-song sessions long before karaoke machines were a thing,” she wrote. “You grew into such a smart, beautiful, kind and loving soul. The list of people who are going to miss you so much is incredibly long —a testament to the lovely human you were.”
This story was originally published January 30, 2025 at 4:48 PM with the headline "‘A void that can never be filled.’ Charlotte mother dies in American Airlines DC crash."
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