Every parent dreams of giving their child wings to fly and follow their dreams. For one Quebec mom who did just that, her child’s dream of becoming a pilot ended in her biggest nightmare.
On July 20, Mayan Guesmi was flying solo on a training flight in Victoriaville, Quebec, when the aircraft crashed into a field, and the plane caught fire upon impact, killing Mayan.
“I don’t know what happened because I don’t know what happened to Mayan,” said Samah Jebbari, mother of Mayan Guesmi.
Mayan posing with her brother Mohamed (Submitted by: Samah Jebbari)
“I don’t know what she felt something. And you know, the fire also after the crash, there’s a fire. I cannot imagine that Mayan went through all that. I’m talking to the investigators to see the following, to know exactly what’s happening.”
Jebbari wants people to know who her daughter was and the dreams she had.
“When she started in Air Canada, she became just full of energy, full of life. And she knew that I will be more than a flight attendant. And then after maybe six months, she started talking about being a pilot,” said Jebbari.
Jebbari has found comfort in grieving, knowing she is not alone.
Samah Jebbari shows her tattoos in honour of her daughter Mayan Guesmi (Submitted by: Samah Jebbari)
“Talking to others, one of, a big support to me: another mom who lost her daughter last year in Winnipeg. She’s a student pilot like Mayan. Her name is Savannah, Savannah Royce. It’s a two pilots, like the accident was a collision between two planes. And this mom is a big, big support to me. And I feel like she’s the only one who understand my pain because she went through that,” Jebbari explained.
“It’s exactly like the same month, July, 2025 and me, July, 2026. So part of me, I feel like she’s giving me strength and telling me like to always keep our daughter’s memory alive. And also, I feel like I don’t want any other family to feel what I’m feeling now. That’s why it’s important to go through the safety and right recommendations and learn from what happened to Savannah in 2025 and to Mayan in 2026.”
While Guesmi’s loss has been unbearable, Jebbari has been moved by the support of those around her and their love for her daughter.
“One of the pilots came, his captain Air Canada, came in ICQ when we did the ritual, the ceremony and everything. And he said, I finished my flight today and he came with his, we call that in French, les ailes du pilote. And I give it to me. I said, this isn’t the honor of Mayan. So I looked at him and I said, oh, she’s, like I can say, she’s a pilot now.”
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