The world lost a brilliant young man recently.
Haris Suleman, from Plainfield, Indiana, was attempting to set the record for the fastest circumnavigation around the world in a single engine plan with the youngest pilot in command.
The 17-year-old and his 58-year-old father Babar Suleman were days away from returning home to their family in Indiana when their plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean.
The body of Haris Suleman has since been recovered but search crews were still looking for his father.
The teen’s sister recently spoke at a news conference in the family’s hometown in Indiana and said:
“With a trip like this, there’s always a risk, and they did prepare for that risk.”
The inspiring teenager had received his pilot’s license in June and set out on the adventure with his father to help raise money for schools in his dad’s native Pakistan – a cause near to the father’s heart who left the country in 1983.
Haris knew the trip was potentially dangerous, but brilliantly reconciled that point during his travels in a blog.
On July 15th he wrote:
“Why does any explorer undertake the necessary risks in order to accomplish their dream? Because that person has a drive, they have a focus, and they have a need to explore that dream.”
The father-son duo had departed from Pago Pago International Airport from the American Samoa capital and crashed about an hour afterwards this past Tuesday night.
Although the two’s original goal of record setting was hampered by flight delays – the two had an amazing trip, traveling through Egypt and Pakistan, and also exploring parts of Europe, Africa, Asia and the South Pacific.
We did not know Haris or his father Babar, but their story is inspirational and our hearts go out to their family for their loss. We pray the father has survived this crash, however unlikely that may be.
RIP Haris Suleman.
Check out more information on this story by watching the video (below).