The aviation world is mourning the devastating loss of Anh-Thu Nguyen, a
trailblazing Vietnamese-American pilot who made history as one of the few women
to fly solo around the globe. On July 30th, she was killed in a tragic crash near
Greenwood, Indiana, shortly after takeoff in her small aircraft.

But amid the grief, a surprising voice emerged — that of tech billionaire Elon Musk,
who posted a deeply personal tribute on social media that quickly went viral.

“She was fearless. Focused. And free,” Musk wrote.
“She reminded me why I build rockets — not for fame, but for people like her.”

The heartfelt message shocked many. Few knew that Musk and Nguyen had once
exchanged emails, following one of her public talks about representation and access in the aerospace industry. Nguyen had shared how SpaceX had inspired her
dream of flight as a young girl in Vietnam. Musk, in turn, had encouraged her to
“keep flying, and never look down.”

A Remarkable Journey

Born in Vietnam and raised in the U.5. from age 12, Anh-Thu Nguyen’s journey was
anything but typical. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and later
completed a master’s in aerospace engineering at Purdue University — the same
school that produced legends like Neil Armstrong and Amelia Earhart.

In 2024, Nguyen achieved something only nine other women had done before her:
she flew solo around the world. Her journey covered more than 25 countries,
crossing oceans, deserts, and vast mountain ranges. It wasn’t just a personal
challenge — it was a mission to inspire others.

‘I always dreamea of [lying,” she wrote on her website. “There’s something
powerful about being in control of @ machine in the sky — it makes you feel
small and limitless at the same time”

In 2018, she founded AWAA — Asian Women in Aerospace and Aviation, a
nonprofit organization aimed at mentoring and empowering women from
underrepresented communities in aviation. Through scholarships, flight training, and outreach programs, she became a beacon of possibility for hundreds of young
women.

A Quiet Bond with Elon Musk

While Nguyen was never a household name, her story quietly reached the right
people. In 2021, she sent an email to SpaceX’s public contact inbox, praising the
company’s mission and sharing her nonprofit’s work.

Elon Musk read it.

According to a source close to Musk, her message stood out. He responded
personally, thanking her for her courage and determination. That email exchange
sparked a mutual admiration between the tech mogul and the solo pilot — one built not on fame or fortune, but on shared dreams of flight and possibility.

A Legacy That Will Continue

After her sudden death, Musk’s tribute wasn’t the only sign of his respect. He later
announced that he would personally fund a new scholarship in Anh-Thu Nguyen’s
name. The program, launching in early 2026, will support young women in aviation
and aerospace, with priority given to applicants from underrepresented
communities, especially Southeast Asian backgrounds.

“Her story won’t ena here,” Musk said in a follow-up statement. “It’ll lijt others
the way she lifted all of us.”

The scholarship is expected to provide full funding for flight training or aerospace
engineering degrees for at least 10 students annually.

Tributes Pour In

The news of her death and Musk’s tribute sparked a wave of tributes across social media and in aviation circles.
AWAA, the nonprofit she founded, released a statement calling her “a lighthouse for thousands of girls who never thought they belonged in the sky.”

Purdue University, her alma mater, posted a memorial on campus, describing her as “a force of nature — full of determination, grace, and grit.”

A friend and fellow pilot wrote:

‘Anh-Thu atan’t just fly — she soared. And she made sure we believed we could
too.”

Her Final Words

On the morning of her final flight, Nguyen posted a short message on her social
media:

“Wheels up. Heading to Pennsylvania. Clear skies ana calm winas aheaa.
HO

No one knew it would be her last flight.

But for those who knew her — and even for those who only knew of her — her
legacy won’t be remembered in miles logged or records broken.

It will be remembered in the eyes of every young girl who dares to dream of the
sky… and knows it’s possible.