It is with a heavy heart that we share the unfortunate news of the passing of two of our friends and fellow air traffic controllers, Vanessa Chester and Jason Hilaire.

His wife, Vanessa Chester, also tragically passed away at the age of 37. She was a controller at Youngstown Tower (YNG) and a veteran of the U.S. Military, as well as an active member at her facility. Vanessa enjoyed her job and was passionate about training others in the career she loved. Her sense of humor and bright spirit led her to be loved by many. Besides her job in ATC, Vanessa's main focus in life was raising her two children, Haiden and Heidi. Her passion was creating things for them, whether it be costumes for school or helping them decorate their room. Vanessa could always be found spending time with her family.

Jason, 50, a military veteran, joined the FAA and was assigned to Akron Tower, where he became a member of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) before transferring to Pittsburgh Tower.

In light of these recent losses, PIT Tower has created this GoFundMe page to help support Haiden and Heidi during these most difficult times. The intent is to provide as many resources as possible to ensure these two children know they are not alone and have the full strength and support of their NATCA family and community as they step into the next chapter of their lives. We hope you will consider donating and providing the financial support they need.