RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. The family of Jenny Lupton has revealed the details of the last text message the flight attendant had sent before she was found dead during a layover in Hawaii.
Lupton, 50, of Moore, Oklahoma, was found dead on August 20 after an apparent fall from a hotel balcony during a layover in Waikiki, her family has said.
Her death has drawn attention as her family have called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances, saying they do not believe she died by suicide. Police in Honolulu have said an investigation into Lupton’s death remains active.
Lupton's niece, Hannah Lupton, said her aunt seemed to be enjoying her time in Hawaii. She had gone out dancing, gotten a tattoo and had been making plans with colleagues in the hours before her death, she said.
She told News 9 that she has heard from people who told her that her aunt had been having a good time. “She was even texting one of the other flight attendants asking, ‘What are we doing tomorrow?’” she said. “And that was her last text.”
She told SFGate that the final message to her colleague was sent after the last text the family received from Lupton, at about 11:40 p.m. on August 19 in Hawaii.
Emergency services responded to the Hilton Hawaiian Village at around 7:15 a.m. on August 20, and Lupton was pronounced dead at the scene, the outlet reported.
The Honolulu Police Department said in a statement on August 24 that an investigation into the circumstances of Lupton’s death remains ongoing and that no conclusions have been made about the manner of her passing. The medical examiner’s office has not yet released the cause or manner of death.
“This is a thorough investigation that will take time,” the police department said. “Detectives are conducting numerous interviews, reviewing and recovering surveillance video, and examining evidence as part of the investigative process.”
The police department also said it would limit the release of certain information in order to preserve the integrity of the investigation.
“On behalf of Jenny Lupton’s family, we ask for patience as detectives conduct this investigation and respectfully request that the family’s privacy be honored during this difficult time,” the department said.
“We encourage the public to rely on verified information from official sources and to avoid sharing unconfirmed information that may cause unnecessary concern or confusion.”
Hannah Lupton told SFGate that all that is known for sure is “that there was a fall from her hotel balcony.”
She said: “Other than that, we don’t know if she was passed beforehand. We don’t know if it happened from the fall. So we’re waiting for that information. Our family does believe, though, that it was not suicidal, so we are worried that there was foul play involved, either that or just a freak accident.”
Friends and family have paid tribute to Lupton.
“She was truly the best aunt anyone could have asked for. She was the light of every party, the person who could make a room brighter simply by being in it. She had a personality that was impossible to forget, and if you knew her, you probably have a funny story about her,” Hannah Lupton wrote on Facebook.
“Everyone in Moore seemed to know my aunt, and since her passing, I’ve heard so many stories about her that have made me laugh, cry, and feel incredibly grateful that I got to call her my aunt.”
Travis Rodriguez, who set up a GoFundMe to support her family, including her 15-year-old son, told Newsweek that Lupton had left a lasting impression on people throughout her life and career.
"While Jenny and I weren’t particularly close, I was deeply saddened when I heard the news of her passing. Sometimes you don’t have to know someone for a lifetime to recognize the impact they had on the people around them. And in the days since Jenny’s passing, it has been impossible not to see just how deeply she was loved," Rodriguez said.
"Jenny’s legacy lives on in the memories being shared, in the tears being shed, in the people who have come together, and in the love that continues to surround her family. Jenny was loved. Her life mattered. And she will never be forgotten.”
In a statement provided to Newsweek , Southwest Airlines said: "The Southwest Airlines family is deeply saddened by the passing of our colleague during a layover in Hawaii . We have offered our condolences and support to the Employee’s family and co-workers and are engaged with local authorities as they investigate."
Contact Newsweek editor on this story: Edward Pearcey.
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