Diagnosed with the rare Creutzfeld-Jakob disease, Lito Sousa died this Thursday (1st), aged 59, in São Paulo. Family members and the Albert Einstein Hospital, where Lito was admitted, confirmed the death.
In an Instagram post, wife Mila Seidl wrote: "A big hug and see you on your next flight. It was an honor to travel with you. I love you. Always." He leaves behind a 7-year-old son.
One of the main Brazilian influencers specializing in aviation, Joselito Geraldo de Sousa became known mainly for his channel Aviões e Músicas, on YouTube, where he explained, in accessible language, how planes work, safety procedures, turbulence and plane accidents.
In August, Mila informed followers and fans that Lito had been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob, a rare and progressive neurodegenerative disease. The rare disease had only 547 confirmed cases in Brazil between 2005 and 2021, according to a study by the Ministry of Health (read more below).
In an edited video of more than 4 minutes, with images of Lito's life, the wife begins by saying: "For more than 15 years, you have watched Lito saying: 'Aeronautical greetings, how are you? How are you?' Together, we build a community and create a relationship of friends. That friend who helps others, who embraces fears and transforms them into security.”
The channel has more than 3.5 million fans and gained a large audience during the pandemic, transforming Lito into one of the main names in aviation in Brazil. On Instagram there are another 2.5 million followers.
In the video, she tells Lito's story: "My husband, the son of Terezinha and Sebastião. Brother of five. Loyal friend. Hardworking man. And the most honest human being I've ever met. I met Lito who was born in Rio Grande do Norte and grew up in Santos. In his humble childhood, he watched ships dock, but it was on planes that he reached flights he never imagined. And that's how our lives crossed. You came to save me", she says.
With more than 36 years of experience in the sector, Lito was also an aircraft mechanic and worked in roles related to aircraft maintenance and safety in companies such as Varig, Transbrasil and United Airlines.
After decades working in maintenance, he realized his dream of becoming a pilot and obtained his license in 2021.
"Life is a trip with a round-trip ticket, and the route of this flight is planned by the great commander. Now, how can you not question this flight plan? The Great Commander decided to take you closer to him, closer to your parents and your brother. Why? They told me that good people, who fulfill their mission with excellence, get closer to God faster", said Mila.
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Lito Sousa is the professional name of pilot Joselito Geraldo de Sousa, 59 years old, one of the main Brazilian influencers specializing in aviation. — Photo: Reproduction/Social Networks
Lito was also a writer and worked as a speaker and consultant, using aviation concepts to talk about safety, human factors and risk management.
Among the books published by him are Where Planes Die, inspired by a professional experience he had in the former Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Alongside his wife, businesswoman Mila Seidl, he created Lito Academy, a company that manages the airline star's courses, lectures and consultancy.
Lito Sousa is the owner of the channel 'Aviões e Músicas', on YouTube, where he explains, in accessible language, how planes work, safety procedures, turbulence and plane accidents. — Photo: Reproduction/Social Networks
Lito's company is responsible for the Without Fear of Flying course, aimed at people who suffer from aerophobia, explaining technical aspects of aircraft and situations such as turbulence to try to reduce passengers' anxiety.
The couple met in 2014 and started dating in 2015. The two got married just five months after they started dating. Together, they are parents to a 7-year-old boy.
Mila was one of the people who encouraged Lito to transform his technical aviation knowledge into content for YouTube, helping to build the business that later became the Lito Group.
Serial illnesses
Lito gained attention again in 2026 after revealing serious health problems. In July, he reported having been diagnosed with prostate cancer and, later, with inflammation in the nervous system.
In August, Mila informed followers and fans that he had been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob, a rare and progressive neurodegenerative disease.
The rare disease had only 547 confirmed cases in Brazil between 2005 and 2021, according to a study by the Ministry of Health.
In the state of São Paulo, where Lito lives with his family, there have been only 202 confirmed cases in 16 years. The state leads the number of confirmations in Brazil, according to the agency, and is followed by Minas Gerais and Paraná.
According to Mila, her husband had been admitted to the Albert Einstein Hospital, in the South Zone of São Paulo, for several days to control the disease, but stated that things are not good.
Scholars say that Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a very rare, serious and rapidly worsening brain condition. It causes memory loss, trouble walking and tremors.
Mila stated that in the last few days the influencer has lost a lot of movement and that, even so, he decided that he wants to return home to finish the treatment.
"In the last few weeks he has lost a lot of movement, but his head is lucid. (...) I can't even walk with him. His head is intact. That in itself is a miracle. It's just his physical body that is becoming more weakened every day", he said.
