Pilot draws name of Lito in the sky over the US as tribute

A month ago, Brazilian pilot Enderson Rafael drew the name Lito Sousa in the sky of Texas, on the Estados Unidos, in honor of the influencer and former aviation mechanic, who had recently been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (DCJ). Lito Sousa died on Thursday (1st).

The gesture was made on August 24 amid the mobilization on social networks to try to gain access to Lito to an experimental treatment for the disease, which is rare, serious and of rapid progression. At the time, Rafael told the g1 that he paid tribute to help bring the influencer’s name to more people at a time when he needed support.

Friendship goes beyond aviation

Rafael stated that the relationship with Lito goes beyond the aviation community. The two are personal friends, and the families have known each other for nearly ten years. The two also worked together on projects linked to the Aviões e Músicas channel.

For Rafael, Lito played an important role in bringing the public closer to themes related to aviation in Brazil. According to the pilot, Lito’s ability to explain technical matters to the general public is one of the main differentiators of the influencer.

“The charisma he has and the way he can navigate between what is extremely technical and the lay public is a differential that puts him in a very special place among the people who work spreading and explaining our profession.”

Meticulous flight planning

As a pilot and owner of an aircraft, Rafael decided to make the flight aboard a Cessna 150. According to him, it was the first time he had performed such a tribute. The flight took just over three hours and covered a distance equivalent to the journey between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

The design of Lito's name, according to the pilot, became larger than the city of São Paulo itself. To make the route, it was necessary to plan the route taking into account the autonomy of the aircraft, the wind and the airspace of the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

The Cessna 150 used in the tribute has autonomy of about four hours. Rafael explained that the prevailing wind in the region altered the time needed to make certain excerpts of the drawing. The planning also needed to consider the region’s intense air movement, which is home to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, one of the busiest in the world, as well as military areas and other restricted spaces.

Forest fires altered route

Shortly before take-off, a forest fire led to the creation of a temporary restricted zone for the performance of firefighting aircraft. With that, Rafael had to redo the route. Despite the restrictions, the general aviation in the Estados Unidos allows greater freedom of operation, which made it possible to perform the homage.

Rare and rapid-progression disease

Diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease requires careful investigation to rule out other conditions that may cause similar symptoms. In general, the disease begins with rapidly progressive changes in cognition, affecting memory, autonomy, and the ability to perform daily activities. Motor changes usually appear later.

After confirmation of the diagnosis, the treatment is mainly aimed at the control of symptoms and the comfort of the patient. There is currently no specific therapy capable of curing Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease or stopping its progression.

“It’s basically support and comfort. “Then, treat pain, treat involuntary movements, especially myoclonus, finally, try to give mais conforto to that patient and that family,” says the neurologist.

The tribute of Rafael remains as a gesture of friendship and solidarity in a difficult moment. The Boca no Trombone portal continues to follow the developments and repercussions on the death of Lito Sousa.

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