Influencer and aviation expert Lito Sousa dies at age 59 in São Paulo

Influencer and aviation expert Lito Sousa, who died this Thursday (1st), aged 59, in São Paulo, was from Rio Grande do Norte, born in Natal, and used to mention his origins in Rio Grande do Norte when telling stories about his childhood and his journey to becoming one of the main names in aviation on social media.

On his channel, Aviões e Músicas, Lito said that he was born near the then rocket launch base in Rio Grande do Norte, in reference to the Barreira do Inferno Launch Center in Parnamirim, in Greater Natal.

"While man was preparing to go to the Moon, at the end of the 60s, I was preparing to come to Earth and I was born close to a rocket base there in Rio Grande do Norte. Sometimes I think the universe was playing with me from the beginning."

In another interview, on the Intelligence Ltda podcast, Lito said that his parents were originally from Paraíba and that the family lived between Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte. He also stated that he was born in Natal, but left the capital when he was still young.

"My parents are originally from Paraíba, so they lived there between Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte, but always in the backlands. I was born in Natal, but I only went there to be born and then returned to a city, I think it's called Baixa Verde, if I'm not mistaken."

When mentioning the city where he returned after being born in Natal, Lito said he believed the place was called "Baixa Verde". The name may be a reference to João Câmara, a municipality in the Agreste region of Rio Grande do Norte, which was known as Baixa Verde until 1953 and is still called that by older residents. There is, however, no confirmation that the city mentioned by Lito is, in fact, João Câmara.

Lito was diagnosed in August with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a degenerative disease with no cure. He was admitted to the Albert Einstein Hospital, in São Paulo. The death was confirmed by the family and the health unit. He leaves behind his wife, Mila Seidl, and a 7-year-old son.

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Lito Sousa was the 'face' of 'Aviões e Músicas', on YouTube — Photo: Reproduction/Redes Sociais

Lito accumulated millions of followers

Lito Sousa was the professional name of Joselito Geraldo de Sousa. He became known for his Aviões e Músicas channel on YouTube, where he explained the operation of aircraft, safety procedures, turbulence and air accidents in accessible language. The channel accumulated more than 3.5 million subscribers.

With more than 36 years of experience in the sector, Lito worked in aircraft maintenance and worked for companies such as Varig, Transbrasil and United Airlines. After decades in the field, he realized his dream of becoming a pilot and obtained his license in 2021.

In August this year, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare and progressive neurodegenerative condition. He had also been diagnosed with prostate cancer in July.