Weston High School mourns siblings killed with family in NY plane crash
Weston Public Schools is mourning the deaths of two former students killed with their family in a plane crash in upstate New York over the weekend.
'We are deeply saddened to hear the news of a terrible tragedy involving the Groff family, all valued and beloved members of our Weston Public School community,' Superintendent Karen Zaleski and Weston High School Principal Sue Bairstow said in a letter to families. 'Two of our graduates, Karenna Groff and Jarad Groff, their parents, and several friends were killed in a small plane crash in New York yesterday.'
'Their lives ended far too soon, and our hearts are with all those who are grieving this unimaginable and sudden loss,' the letter read.
A twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B went down shortly after noon Saturday in a muddy field in Copake, New York, near the Massachusetts line, killing everyone on board, according to authorities and a family member who spoke to The Associated Press.
Shortly before the crash, the pilot had radioed air traffic control at Columbia County Airport to say he had missed the initial approach and requested a new approach plan, officials with the National Transportation Safety Board said at a Sunday briefing. While preparing the new coordinates, air traffic controllers attempted to relay a low-altitude alert three times, with no response from the pilot and no distress call, officials said.
Among the victims were Karenna Groff, a former MIT soccer player named the 2022 NCAA woman of the year; her father, a neuroscientist, Dr. Michael Groff; her mother, Dr. Joy Saini, a urogynecologist; her brother, Jared Groff, a 2022 graduate of Swarthmore College who worked as a paralegal; Alexia Couyutas Duarte, Jared Groff's partner who also graduated Swarthmore and planned to attend Harvard Law School this fall; and Karenna Groff's boyfriend, James Santoro, another recent MIT graduate, according to a family statement Sunday.
On Saturday morning, they all headed to Westchester County Airport in White Plains, a suburb of New York City, where they boarded Michael Groff's private plane, according to John Santoro.
They were set to land at Columbia County Airport but crashed roughly 10 miles (16 kilometers) to the south. The plane was 'compressed, buckled and embedded in the terrain' of a muddy agricultural field, Inman said.
The district's letter added that one family member who was not aboard the plane and who attends Weston High School is alive.
'We are holding her and her extended family and friends in our thoughts and are committed to supporting her in the days ahead,' the letter read.
'News like this can be incredibly difficult — especially for students who knew the family or who are navigating grief for the first time," Zaleski and Bairstow said. 'Please know that we are working closely with our counselors and school staff to provide resources and safe spaces for students who may need support.'
Counselors will be available for students in the process of understanding what happened, the letter read.
'In moments like this, we are reminded of the strength of our community and the importance of being there for one another,' the letter stated. '[We are] grateful to the faculty, staff, and families who are already rallying around those who are hurting. Let us continue to approach each other with empathy and compassion.'
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