CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Sixty-seven people died Monday night when an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines plane near Reagan International Airport in Washington, DC. More information has been released about the souls aboard each aircraft.
One of those aboard was 33-year-old Sarah Lee Best, a former teacher from Clarksville. Best’s death is a tremendous loss for those who knew her, like her former students.
“When I found out that it was Ms. Sarah Best that was on the plane, I immediately felt my heart drop,” Best’s former student Alana Benson told News 2. “I thought it was a coincidence — maybe it was somebody with the same name that looks similar. I was shocked. I was not expecting to know anybody on that plane.”
Best was an associate with Wilkenson Stekloff and joined the DC law firm a few months ago. She boarded the American Airlines flight that evening with a colleague and was headed home from a deposition. Benson told News 2 Best had a drive to better the community, and that didn’t just extend through her legal work.
She taught children in Davidson County and set them up for success long after her class ended. Best even kept in touch with her students as they went on to pursue careers.
“She told me congratulations for passing nursing school and she was so shocked because I hated math,” Benson said. “Math was the most terrible subject that I had but that lady changed my whole perspective.”
Best taught math at Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet School in 2017 and at LEAD Public Schools in 2018; her LinkedIn profile added she earned several awards. She graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2013 and went on to earn a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Pen Carey Law School.
“Sarah was a brilliant, kind, and compassionate soul who touched the lives of so many. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and loved ones during this tragic time,” dean and law professor Sophia Z. Lee said. “As we grieve together, we hold close the memory of Sarah and the light she brought into our lives.”
“She had a very bubbly personality. She was so funny,” Benson said. “She had always just had a touch about her.”
While there are still many questions left following Monday’s devastating crash, what’s clear is the legacy of love, education, and a commitment to her students Sarah leaves behind.
“I’m really happy that we got to give her her flowers for being a great teacher,” Benson said. “That made me feel better: to know that she knew that she was loved while she was here.”
