Just hours before a private jet took off into the freezing winter night in Maine, Shawna Collins was still talking on the phone with her daughter. On the other end of the line, the woman had no idea that the brief conversation would become the final goodbye of her life.
In an emotional account shared with U.S. media, Shawna Collins’ daughter tearfully recalled the last moments she heard her mother’s voice. She said her mother sounded genuinely excited as she spoke about her upcoming trip to Europe — a journey Collins had been looking forward to for some time. “My mom was so happy,” her daughter said. “She talked about the trip with so much excitement, as if everything was still ahead of her.”
No one in the family could have imagined that only hours after that call, Shawna Collins’ name would appear on the list of victims killed in a private plane crash that shocked the nation.
The crash occurred on January 25, when the private jet carrying six people went down shortly after departing from Bangor International Airport in Maine. Authorities said severe winter weather, including heavy snow and strong winds, may have been a contributing factor. All six people on board, including the pilot and passengers, were killed.
Shawna Collins was later identified as one of the victims. She was a well-respected event planner and, above all, a devoted mother who always put her family first. To her daughter, Shawna was not just a parent, but a source of emotional strength — someone who listened, encouraged, and stood by her through every stage of life.
“We talked all the time,” her daughter said. “There was nothing unusual about that call. My mom was simply living her life, looking forward to what was coming next.”
That sense of normalcy is what makes the loss even more devastating. Collins’ family said they were completely shattered when they received the news. The trip Shawna had been eagerly anticipating suddenly became the end of her journey, leaving behind unfinished plans and an emptiness no words can fill.
Following the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), along with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), launched an investigation to determine the cause of the tragedy. Officials noted that the process has been complicated by harsh weather conditions at the crash site, and that more time will be needed to analyze flight data and technical factors.
While investigators continue their work, the families of the victims are left to navigate unimaginable grief. For Shawna Collins’ daughter, every memory of her mother is now tied to that final phone call — a conversation that seemed ordinary at the time, yet has taken on a permanent and heartbreaking meaning.
“If only I had known it was the last time,” she said. “I would have said more, asked more questions, or simply stayed on the phone a little longer.”
Her words echo the shared regret of those left behind after sudden tragedy. No one is ever prepared for an abrupt farewell — especially when it comes at a moment when life feels completely normal.
The loss of Shawna Collins is not only a devastating blow to her family, but also a profound absence felt by the community of colleagues and friends who knew her. Above all, it is the story of a mother, a final phone call, and a grief that will follow her daughter for the rest of her life — a quiet reminder of how fragile and unpredictable life can be.
