US3 min(s) read
Published 13:11 13 Nov 2021 GMT
Just one month before a plane crash claimed his life, Glen de Vries said time "feels more precious" in a chilling interview after landing back on earth.
The 49-year-old - who traveled to space alongside William Shatner and two others last month - this week tragically died after a small plane crashed in New Jersey.
The businessman had been aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft on October 13, spending more than 10 minutes in space after launch.
And after landing back on home soil, de Vries spoke about his space experience in an interview with Carnegie Mellon University a week after his Blue Origin mission.
When asked by the publication what advice he would give for making the most with the time you are given, de Vries said the passage of time "feels more precious" after spending minutes in space.
"I had that heightened sense of time in my mind starting from the countdown. I think I've taken that perspective back down with me to our planet, and into my relationships.
"The passage of time, just like the resources on Earth, feels more precious with an expanded perspective," he added, per The Sun.
When asked if he would want to return to space in the future, he said: "I honestly don't think anybody could go to space and not want to go to space more, so I would love to again."
The plane, a single-engine Cessna 172, went down on Thursday, November 11, in a wooded area in the northern part of the state, Reuters reports.
The Federal Aviation Administration alerted public safety agencies to look for the missing plane in the afternoon. Emergency crews found the wreckage about an hour later.
Blue Origin, the space company founded by Bezos, said they were "devastated" over the sudden death of de Vries.
"He brought so much life and energy to the entire Blue Origin team and to his fellow crewmates," the company wrote on Twitter. "His passion for aviation, his charitable work, and his dedication to his craft will long be revered and admired."
In his personal tribute, Bezos wrote: "Such a tragic loss. Warm and full of life, Glen made us laugh and lit up the room. He was a visionary, and an innovator - a true leader."
After the space flight, de Vries - who was the founder a clinical research company - was full of emotion, saying: "It's going to take me a while to be able to describe it. It was incredible."
The other person killed in the crash was Thomas P. Fischer, 54, the founder of a family-run flight school and its head instructor.
