Ana María Cetina had moved to the United States hoping to build a better future.
Instead, her life came to a devastating end on a street in Palm Beach County, Florida.
At just 23 years old, Ana María Ramírez Cetina had so much ahead of her.
She had a degree, dreams of working in her chosen profession, and a life she was still trying to establish.
But her life was cut tragically short when a private jet crashed in Florida, killing all nine people aboard.
Among the victims were the two young children she cared for, their parents, and the young woman who had become so much more than just their nanny.
Now, as her family struggles to come to terms with the devastating loss, new details have emerged about the young woman behind the tragedy – including an emotional final conversation with her sister that has made her death even harder to comprehend.
Ana María, also known as Anita Maria Cetina, was originally from Bogotá, Colombia. According to accounts from her family, she moved to the United States with her mother nearly two years ago, hoping to find new opportunities and build a future abroad.
She had studied biomedical engineering at Universidad ECCI in Colombia and graduated with ambitions of pursuing a career in her field.
However, getting her qualifications recognized in the United States and finding work as an engineer proved difficult. Rather than giving up, she took a job as a nanny while continuing to build her life in a new country.
It was a decision that would lead her to a family she grew incredibly close to.
She became part of the family
Ana María had been caring for Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, the children of Texas technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson and his wife, Helen Sharp, since January.
According to reports, the family who lived in Aspen, Colorado, while Ana stayed with her mother in Glenwood Springs.
According to her sister, Angie, the bond between Ana María and the Robinson children was especially strong. She loved spending time with them, and her affection extended to the family’s dog, Bonnie.
The feeling was mutual.
In a joint tribute following the crash, the families described Ana María as someone who cared for the children with extraordinary tenderness and devotion.
”She was truly part of the family,” they said, remembering her as someone who left behind a legacy of unconditional love.
It was clear that her role in their lives went far beyond looking after the children.
She had become someone they loved and trusted.
Inside her final days
One of the most heartbreaking details to emerge concerns what Ana María was doing just a day before the fatal flight.
According to her sister’s account, she had gone shopping for gifts for her mother and sister. She then packed her belongings and helped prepare the children’s things for their trip to the Bahamas.
It was an ordinary family moment, the kind of thing that makes the sudden loss of someone so young particularly difficult to process.
On the morning of November 1, Ana María called her sister from the airport.
”She video-called me from the airport. She was with the children, and she was so happy. She sent me a picture of the plane. I sent her a picture and a video of my son,” Ana María’s sister, Angie Ramírez, told Caracol Radio.
Ana María told her she would watch the video once they landed.
But that message would never receive the reply her sister was waiting for.
The flight that ended in tragedy
The Learjet 60 had departed from Austin, Texas, on November 1 and was heading to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas.
There were seven passengers and two crew members aboard.
Alongside Ana María were Adam Robinson, 44, his wife Helen Sharp, and their two children, Emma and Charlie. Family friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr were also among the passengers.
The aircraft crashed near Greenacres in Palm Beach County, Florida, shortly before 1 p.m. local time.
The impact was devastating. The plane struck the ground and burst into flames, leaving a large crater. All nine people aboard died.
One person on the ground was also injured.
The National Transportation Safety Board has begun investigating what happened.
Early information indicates that the crew encountered difficult weather conditions, including ice accumulation and significant turbulence. Investigators have also found evidence that parts of the aircraft began breaking apart before impact.
The exact cause of the crash has not yet been established.
Her sister’s heartbreaking tribute
For Angie, the loss is almost impossible to put into words.
Speaking to Colombian media, she described the closeness she shared with her sister and the enormous hole her death has left in the family.
”My sister and I were inseparable,” she said, according to Caracol Radio.
She also described Ana María as someone who wanted to explore the world, find better opportunities and make something of her life.
Her story was one of ambition, courage and love for the people closest to her.
Now, her family is facing the difficult task of bringing her home and saying goodbye. They have sought assistance from Colombian and American authorities to help with the process of receiving her remains.
The Colombian government has also said it is providing support to her relatives.
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