There’s a certain kind of silence that follows great loss—the kind that never quite leaves, even when years pass. In August 2008, Houston was shaken. A small, rented Cessna 182 carrying Thomas Jacomini Jr., 42, his wife Susana, 38, and their children Thomas (8) and Vivi (5), vanished after taking off from Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Until it was found by a hiker. Days later, the hiker rang the authorities about the plane wreckage, 60 miles southwest of Denver. But in those days of unknowingness, there was hope. Family and friends were holding onto Prayers. Alas, it wasn’t to be. Amongst the friends Susan (or how they called her: Susie) left behind, Capa Mooty was one, too.

Now, on April 9, Troy Aikman‘s ex, the fashion entrepreneur Catherine, took a moment to publicly honor her late friend on what would have been her 55th birthday. The tribute was simple but heavy with emotion: a photo of the Jacomini family and a caption that read, “Happy Bday sweet Angel in heaven, Susie!! We love and miss you and Tommy, Thomas, and Vivi every single day!! XO.”

In the wake of the crash, the Houston community mourned deeply. The Jacominis were described as a vibrant, close-knit family who loved travel and adventure. “A tragedy of epic proportions,” one friend told the Houston Chronicle at the time. Now, nearly sixteen years later, that tragedy still reverberates for those left behind—including Capa Mooty, who has used each year to keep their memory alive in her own quiet way.

Her tributes have become a soft, ongoing tradition. On April 9, 2023, she posted a carousel of photos with Susie, sharing old moments and writing: “Thinking of precious Susie Quiros Jacomini on her Birthday today. Miss and love you always! What a shining light you continue to be!” A year before that, on the 13th anniversary of the crash, she remembered the whole family with another heartfelt message: “Rest In Peace sweet Tommy, Susie, Thomas and Viví… we miss you and love you!”

It’s like Catherine has dedicated this time of the year to remembrance. And that’s telling. These posts, the tributes, speak not just to grief, but to a bond between the two friends. But maybe these posts are healing something for Capa, too. For a woman who’s navigated her own changes and public scrutiny, including the quiet end of her marriage to a high-profile figure, these moments of tribute may also serve as grounding reminders of what matters. And Who matters.

Troy Aikman and Capa couldn’t find a way to work it out

On the topic of identifying the people in your circle, Capa and Troy Aikman did identify that they don’t belong in each other’s inner circle back in 2020. So, now, writing this in April 2025, 5 years later, it’s safe to say that both Capa Mooty and Troy Aikman have moved on. But for Troy, it was one of his downer moments in his life to this day. Last year, in September, Troy sat for a rare personal interview with The Athletic and opened up about his second divorce. “A failure,” he called it. “That was my rock bottom.”

Aikman and Capa married in 2017 in an intimate ceremony in California, after a brief but seemingly strong courtship. But behind the polished public appearances, things were spiraling. People were noticing. According to Aikman, he didn’t fully realize the marriage was over until it already was.

However, to add to it, the separation was finalized around 2020. But the couple did not address anything in public. Well, not until Troy’s admission in 2024. “Contentment was always a four-letter word for me,” Aikman said. “I didn’t wanna be around anyone who was content. That’s just not a place I could land.” It’s a sentiment that hints at the internal restlessness that may have shaped his relationships, even as he maintained an image of calm leadership from his football days.

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Meanwhile, he did admit the divorce embarrassed him. And even now, years later, he still has difficulty talking about it. For someone so public, the private unraveling of something once sacred has clearly left a lasting mark. Yet despite the heartbreak, Aikman has since moved forward with a new relationship.

Still, the emotional weight of that chapter seems far from resolved. For Aikman, the loss of his marriage to Capa was more than just a breakup. He lost faith. Now, while both have walked their own separate paths, their stories remain linked by more than just headlines.