DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- ABC11 is learning more about Rebecca Lobach, the Durham woman and UNC ROTC graduate confirmed this weekend to be the third servicemember aboard an Army Blackhawk helicopter that collided midair with an American Airlines jet over Washington, D.C. last week.
Lobach was one of 67 people killed in that midair crash, the deadliest in the US in decades.
"To me, she's always my soldier. So it's extremely tough," said Bilal Kordab, a captain with the National Guard who first recruited Lobach into the North Carolina National Guard in 2018.
Kordab said that Lobach had a positive impact on virtually everyone she interacted with, and recalled the attributes that made her stand out as a recruit.
"She was kind, she was very intelligent, very dedicated, very respectable and respected," Kordab said.
He said he's hurting for the Lobach family, who live in Rougemont in Northern Durham County, in the wake of the crash and subsequent announcement.
"As a father, my heart breaks for her family, for mom and dad and siblings. I cannot even imagine what they're going through," Kordab said.
According to Army officials, Lobach finished in the top 20% of all Cadets nationally upon graduation and was a six-year Army member assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir, Virginia at the time of the crash. Lobach's family said she volunteered as a White House military social aide, supporting former President Biden in hosting events at the residence. Lobach could be seen on January 4th escorting famed designer Ralph Lauren when he received a Medal of Freedom.
"Anybody and everybody that encountered Rebecca in any capacity, whether personally or professionally, is -- will definitely miss her because she had a positive impact," Kordab said.
Lisa Klekowski LTC, AV with the Department of Military Science at UNC Chapel Hill sent ABC11 this statement: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic flight accident that occurred in Washington DC this past week, but we are especially heartbroken by the loss of CPT Rebecca Lobach. She was a Distinguished Military Graduate of the Tar Heel Battalion in 2019 and continued to invest in the program as a mentor after she graduated. No words can fill the void of this tragic loss, but her memory remains vibrant in the Battalion, and we will continue to remember her honorable service. Our deepest condolences go out to her friends and family at this difficult time."
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