In a Parkland father’s moment of darkness, over 100 colleagues stood by his side to ensure he knows he is not alone.
United Airlines captain Tony Montalto and his family held a funeral for their daughter, Gina Rose, on Tuesday at Mary Help of Christians Church in Parkland. Employees from multiple divisions of United, JetBlue, Spirit, American Airlines and FedEx attended to honor the young girl’s life.
Lined up together in uniform, the pilots created an image of true solidarity.
“This is a beautiful example of how the United family supports one another,” said United Airlines spokeswoman Maggie Schmerin.
The heartwarming moment was captured by United captain Dan Petrovich, who works alongside Gina’s father.
“(There were) no specific plans for what we did; it just happened out of love and respect for the suffering of a member of our United and aviation family,” he told CNN.
Fourteen-year-old Gina was a member of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s winter guard on the marching band. She was described as sweet and artistic by those who were close to her.