Lawyer was flying home to celebrate her 33rd birthday when Wichita plane crashed in D.C.
Elizabeth Anne Keys’ obituary will give her birth date as Jan. 29, 1992 and the day of her death as Jan. 29, 2025.
The Cincinnati, Ohio, native died on her 33rd birthday, a victim of the midair crash Wednesday between an Army helicopter and American Airlines flight 5342 in Washington, D.C.
Keys was traveling home from Kansas with a work colleague, Sarah Lee Best, who also died. The women, both 33, were attorneys at Wilkinson Stekloff law firm in Washington.
“We are heartbroken by this terrible tragedy. Liz and Sarah were cherished members of our firm —wonderful attorneys, colleagues, and friends,” the firm’s founder, Beth Wilkinson, said in a statement provided to The Star on Friday.
“Beyond being an excellent lawyer, Liz brought fearlessness, humor, and sharp wit to work every day no matter the setting or circumstances.
“Sarah joined us just last fall and quickly energized us all with her boundless curiosity, kindness, and intelligence.
“It is hard to imagine the firm without them. We are keeping them in our memories and their families in our thoughts and prayers.”
Keys’ profile on the law firm’s website says she maintained an active pro bono practice and had been recognized for that work.
“Words cannot express how deeply Elizabeth, my Bitsy, will be missed,” her mother, Mary Keys, said in a statement from the family to WLWT in Cincinnati on Thursday.
“We are filled with unbearable sorrow and despair at our loss.”
Keys, who was her high school valedictorian, graduated from Tufts University in Massachusetts in 2014 where she sailed all four years on the varsity team “and made many lifelong friends,” the family said.
She received a Juris Doctor (JD) degree in 2020 from Georgetown University Law Center.
“She loved deeply and was deeply loved. Liz was a warm, generous woman,” the family said.
“She was so fun — and funny! Liz had a sharp wit and appreciated it in others. Gatherings were always better when Liz was there; she was filled with light and joy. Liz was a dear friend to so many, offering her best self to them all. Her hugs were wonderful!
“Elizabeth was strong and fearless — she embraced life at full speed. Liz was always surrounded by friends on her ski trips out West, where she described skiing as ‘flying,’ and frequently visited her favorite place, Hawaii, to hike and relax on the beach.
“Every weekend was full: Liz and David especially loved hosting their friends around their fire pit at their home in D.C.”
The family said Keys is survived by her parents, the “love of her life,” partner David Seidman, and their Yorkie named Tucker.
According to The Washington Post, Keys made a last-minute decision to fly home from Kansas early to celebrate her birthday with Seidman.
They planned to dine at a popular Middle Eastern restaurant in D.C. before hosting a joint birthday party this weekend.
Seidman’s birthday is Sunday, the Post reported.
This story was originally published January 31, 2025 at 5:25 PM.
.jpg)