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Lenny Kravitz stepped in to help Aaliyah’s dancers get home after the singer was killed in a plane crash 25 years ago.
Lesley Nicole Lewis, one of the dancers who appeared in the late R&B musician's “Rock the Boat” music video, recalled the emotional aftermath of the tragedy on a recent episode of the On That Note podcast.
“We were just devastated," Lewis recalled. "The world was devastated."
Aaliyah and seven others were killed when their plane crashed shortly after takeoff in the Bahamas on Aug. 25, 2001. Lewis and other dancers had remained behind after filming wrapped. After the tragedy, they were hesitant to board another small plane to leave for the United States. That’s where Kravitz stepped in.
“Nobody wanted to leave,” Lewis said. “Lenny Kravitz — thank you, Lenny Kravitz. I’ve never gotten a chance to personally thank him, but he’s friends with ["Rock the Boat" choreographer] Fatima Robinson, and he actually lent his jet, or he had access to a private plane. He sent his private plane to get us back.”
Lewis revealed that the rock icon's gesture gave the dancers a way to safely return to home during an incredibly traumatic time.