Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras was a "natural-born pilot" ... according to one of the first instructors who taught her, who's now paying tribute to the young co-pilot killed in the tragic Palm Beach plane crash.
Chris Kirk, who says he was one of Nathalia's first instructors and mentors, took to social media to defend her flying abilities ... making it clear she wasn't just another pilot looking to cash in on an airline career.
Kirk said he'd been teaching for 40 years and she was "without a doubt the most naturally gifted pilot I have ever taught" ... adding, Nathalia routinely impressed examiners during her check rides, saying "that young lady was born to fly!"
Ezekiel Williams -- a semi-professional soccer player in England -- is dead ... and cops think foul play may be involved ... because they're investigating this as a possible murder.
The BBC reports a homicide investigation has been opened into the footballer's death after he sustained injuries in the town of Milton Keynes -- about 50 miles from London -- on Sunday ... he was hospitalized and died from his injuries.
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder, the BBC reports ... while another was arrested for suspicion of assisting an offender.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Spanish club is stepping up for Jesús de Miguel's loved ones ... UD Almería says it's giving every cent of ticket money from an upcoming game to the late Tenerife striker's family.
And the game they picked couldn't be more fitting.
Almería, in which CR7 bought a 25% stake back in February, will hand over all ticket proceeds from its home game against CD Tenerife in April.
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The club announced the move on Wednesday ... with the backing of Almería's owners.
Kellie Pickler and her former parents-in-law reached a confidential settlement over her late husband's property, TMZ has learned.
According to court docs obtained by TMZ, the "American Idol" alum is calling off the fight with Kyle Jacobs' parents, Reed and Sharon Jacobs.
Kellie has been fighting Reed and Sharon for 3 years ... Kyle's parents claimed the singer refused to return a ton of his property ... including a phone, bling, and some firearms.
The National Transportation Safety Board shared another update on the deadly Florida plane crash that killed nine people ... including just how far the debris ended up from the crash site.
The agency held another press conference Tuesday as investigators work to piece together what caused a private jet to plummet from the sky Sunday and crash into a Palm Beach County neighborhood.
A spokesperson for the NTSB said during the press conference that debris from the crash can be found up to 4 miles away from the crash site ... and they're asking members of the community to be vigilant -- while also imploring them not to move what they might find.
The pilots of the private jet that crashed in Florida were told they could turn left, but not right ... and one aviation expert says turning the other way may have been the better move.
Corporate pilot and meteorologist JP Dice joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday ... telling Harvey and Charles that air traffic control gave the crew permission to veer left, but warned them against turning right because of other aircraft in the area.
Here's the problem ... Dice says the weather was actually worse to the left, while turning right could've given the pilots a better path through the storm.
Milania Giudice's late best friend Victoria Zardoya had ketamine in her system before she died following a devastating fall in Florida ... TMZ has learned.
According to the medical examiner's report, obtained by TMZ, the 20-year-old's blood tested positive for ketamine and norketamine -- a substance produced when the body breaks down the drug.
Her toxicology results also showed alcohol and etomidate, a medication used for sedation. The Sun was the first to report the news.
Joe Mixon is mourning the nine people who died in a horrific plane crash in Florida ... revealing he flew on the same jet with the same two pilots just weeks before the deadly disaster.
The former NFL running back shared the chilling connection on social media Monday ... saying he was "absolutely devastated" by Sunday's crash and had flown aboard the same aircraft just last month.
"They were incredible professionals and genuinely wonderful people," Mixon wrote of the two pilots, who were among those killed.
Tragedy struck Sunday's New York City marathon after a young woman running the race collapsed and died a mere 2 miles from the finish line.
The New York Times reports Rachel Apa was running in her first marathon with her Parkinson’s Champions team to honor her late grandfather, who passed away from the disease in 2022.
As she was closing in on the finish line, Apa suddenly collapsed, and a hospital social worker watching the marathon rushed over to give CPR along with Apa's fiancée, the NYT said.
Nathalia Gadelha -- the 20-year-old co-pilot who died in the plane crash in Palm Beach County on Sunday -- sent her boyfriend one final text message before the fatal impact.
The New York Post says it spoke to Nathalia's stepfather, Thiago Corleti ... who told the outlet he believes Nathalia texted her boyfriend around 12:40 PM ET ... roughly 10 minutes before the fatal crash.
The skies were practically a second home for Nathalia Gadelha ... and the 20-year-old co-pilot killed in Sunday's Florida plane crash loved showing off the view.
Nathalia frequently shared videos of her flights on social media ... giving followers a front-row seat to life in the cockpit ... from the aircraft's controls to sweeping views above the clouds and stunning sunsets thousands of feet in the air.
Her videos offer a glimpse into Nathalia's passion for aviation ... one she developed at a young age, earning her private pilot's license at just 17 while attending West Boca Raton High School.
A private jet carrying 9 people board crashed just 8 miles from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago ... resulting in an enormous fireball that engulfed the roadside.
Closer footage of the plane that crashed diving in nearly vertically near Mar-A-Lago Florida about an hour ago.
Note this happened less than 10 miles away from where POTUS is staying and air defense systems were deployed and heightened. https://t.co/AkZsSU9N2C
@stellarman22
The FAA tells TMZ ... a Learjet 60 crashed in a residential area near the Cresthaven neighborhood in Florida, around 12:50 PM on Sunday.
Video from the impact taken by a car passing by shows the plane in a nose dive before slamming into the roadside of the Florida town.
Lynn Krieger -- the wife of the legendary guitarist of The Doors, Robby Krieger -- is dead ... TMZ has learned.
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Lynn died in her sleep Thursday after battling a longtime illness.
We're told paramedics were called to Robby and Lynn's Beverly Hills home just before noon for a possible cardiac arrest, but Lynn was already dead when fire and police personnel arrived.
Law enforcement also received a call for a natural death. Her official cause of death is not known at this time.
Johnny Lopez, one of the brilliant writers who helped launch TMZ.com and shape the irreverent, hilarious voice that became synonymous with the site, has died.
Johnny was there in TMZ's early days and was instrumental in developing the unique tone that set the site apart.
He was a beloved member of the TMZ family, someone whose personality was every bit as memorable as the stories he wrote.
At least 1 gunman shot up a Halloween store in California on Friday, killing 1 person and injuring 6 others, with 3 in critical condition, according to police.
Cops say the incident took place on Friday night at the Spirit Halloween Store in the Solano Town Center in Fairfield, California.
Police say the suspect or suspects fled and are still at large. No motive was released, and it was unclear if the store was targeted.
