For Myles Chairo Munroe Jr., the recent news of a fatal Independence Day plane crash that claimed 10 lives near San Andros airport did more than just bring up tragic headlines. It unlocked decades-old, raw grief that he has carried since losing both his parents in an almost identical aviation disaster 12 years ago. A loss he has long acknowledged is one no one ever truly moves past — you only learn how to carry it and build a new life around it. Now 42 and preparing to welcome his second child with his wife, Munroe Jr. told local Bahamian outlet The Tribune that news of any plane crash is painful to absorb, but this latest incident hit particularly hard due to the sheer scope of lives cut short.
This July crash, which involved a Flamingo aircraft, killed one more person than the 2014 Grand Bahama aviation tragedy that took the lives of Munroe Jr.’s parents: prominent leadership expert Dr. Myles Munroe and his wife Ruth. Back in 2014, Munroe and his traveling delegation were en route to Freeport to participate in the Global Leadership Forum when their crash occurred.
Reflecting on the wave of news that followed this month’s crash, Munroe Jr. said the incident immediately pulled him back to 2014, when widespread unconfirmed rumors and misinformation circulated in the first chaotic hours of reporting. He recalled how overwhelming and hurtful that flood of false information was for his own family in those early days of grief.
Calling for greater public empathy, Munroe Jr. urged people to be more sensitive to the devastating realities that grieving families grapple with in the aftermath of mass casualty tragedies. He described reading the emerging reports from the San Andros crash as a surreal experience, but added that he was deeply moved by accounts of local residents who rushed to the crash site to comfort the lone surviving passenger in their final moments. Even so, his heart aches for the families of the 10 victims, who will carry the weight of that tragedy and those memories forever.
“Every situation, every incident related to a plane crash is different,” he emphasized. While he shares the common experience of losing loved ones in an aviation disaster, he noted every tragedy carries its own unique pain, and every person processes grief at their own pace on their own terms.
For Munroe Jr., moving forward has meant living each day with intentional purpose while upholding the legacy his parents left behind. His core mission today is advancing his father’s long-held vision: building the Munroe Institute of Leadership. He and his team have been working steadily to turn that vision into reality, developing accessible leadership and personal development programs that continue the work his father started decades ago. Additional initiatives to honor his parents’ legacy are already in development, with public announcements expected in the near future.
Offering advice to the families of the San Andros crash victims, Munroe Jr. urged them not to rush their grieving process. He stressed that there is no universal, set timeline for healing, and encouraged those struggling to hold onto the happy memories of their loved ones — a practice that has become a cornerstone of his own healing journey. “There’s no telling how long it’ll take for you to feel maybe not over it, but a little more at peace because you really never get over it, right? You just learn how to live with this new reality,” he explained. This November marks 12 years since he lost his parents, and he says the pain still feels as fresh as if it happened yesterday. Accepting that many of life’s most devastating events are outside of human control has also helped him find gradual peace, he added: a lesson his father often shared with their family, reminding them that life is unpredictable, and everyone should live each day with clear purpose.