News anchor Debora Estrella, 43, a beloved face on Mexican TV, tragically died during her first flying lesson. She began at TV Azteca in 2014 presenting the weather, later moving to news broadcasts. After joining Milenio Televisión in 2016, she became the main anchor for Telediario Matutino on Channel 6 by 2018.
Estrella had recently taken up flying. On September 20, 2025, she boarded a small Cessna with instructor Bryan Ballesteros in García, Nuevo León. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff, killing both instantly. Hours before, she posted a photo of the plane on Instagram with the caption, “Guess what.”
Even her ex-husband, journalist Jose Luis Garcia, initially reported the crash unaware she was on board: “A plane has come down. Civil Protection in Nuevo Leon confirmed two people have died.”
Colleagues and fans mourned her. Maria Julia Lafuente said, “How can I say, Good morning, happy Sunday, when our hearts and souls are broken?” She added, “If there is one thing we can all learn from her, it is to live life to the fullest and not waste a single moment, because every minute counts.” Fans wrote, “Fly high Deborah. Rest in peace,” celebrating her humor, smile, and kind spirit.
Friends recalled her dream of flying. Víctor Martínez said, “We talked, and she told me, ‘I’m going to start flying, learn a bit about it, and one day we’ll fly together.’”