Texas tech founder killed in Florida jet crash with wife and young children
Adam Robinson, 44, died Sunday in a Learjet 60 crash in Palm Beach County. His wife, two children, a nanny, and two friends were also killed.
By Olivia Miller ·
Adam Robinson, a 44-year-old Austin technology executive, died Sunday in a private jet crash in Palm Beach County, Florida. He was among the nine people killed when the aircraft went down. His wife, Helen Sharp, and their two young children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were also on board.
The family identified two close friends, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, as well as the children's nanny, Anita Maria Apellido Cetina, as other victims. Robinson founded RB2B and Retention.com. He also served as the founder and CEO of MoltSets. His wife founded Influential PR, a performance public relations agency. Robinson graduated from Rice University in 2003, where he played varsity basketball from 1999 to 2001.
Robinson's brother, Anthony, confirmed the deaths in a Facebook post on Monday afternoon. He described Adam and Helen as devoted parents who made people feel welcome. "Their loss will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and who they loved in return," Anthony wrote. He said the children were the light of their parents' lives.
Anthony also spoke about the two friends and the nanny. He described Rachael and Charmi as joyful and adventurous people who loved their friends fiercely. He said Anita cared for the children with tenderness and that she was truly part of the family. "She showed us a legacy of unconditional love and devotion," he wrote.
The Learjet 60 departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Sunday morning. It was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. Authorities said the plane crashed in Palm Beach County, killing all nine people aboard. The two crew members who died included captain Jeff Gregory, 55, and co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20.
Willis Wilson, a former coach of Robinson at Rice University, said the university community is grieving. He called Robinson an uplifting guy who was loved by teammates and coaches. "We are all in shock and deeply saddened by this tragedy," Wilson said. He extended condolences to the families of the pilots and other victims.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. The agency has not determined the cause. It said weather conditions would be a major focus of the inquiry. Anthony Robinson thanked first responders and the Palm Beach County community for their care. He asked for privacy as the families grieve.
