‘So full of life'; Friend mourns Trilla plane crash victim
TRILLA, Ill. (WCIA) — The four plane crash victims who died on Saturday were all from the same city. With a population of only about 17,000, one of the victim's friends said the loss is impacting everyone.
'I don't think it's just friends, I think it's just a whole community of family,' Steph Hite said.
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Now, that family in Menomonie, Wisconsin is grappling with the loss of 48-year-old Michael Morrow, 36-year-old Courtney Morrow, 46-year-old Ross Nelson and 45-year-old Raimi Rundle.
Their small plane crashed into power lines before hitting the ground between Cumberland and Coles Counties, preliminary National Transportation Safety Board information found.
'It's just all around devastating,' Hite said.
Hite knew Rundle since childhood. From high school tailgates and bonfires, their friendship lasted long into adulthood as neighbors.
'Raimi was just always somebody that was so full of life, so fun,' Hite said. 'It didn't really matter who said what or what was going on, she was just always that kind of light that just brought everybody together.'
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The two had talked just days before the crash about animals — one thing they loved together.
Hite said Rundle and her long-time partner Ross Nelson also had shared passions
'Any opportunity they had, they were flying,' Hite said. 'Whether it was flying friends [or] flying kids, they were up in the air.'
Federal Aviation Administration records show that Nelson was the owner of the plane. Hite said although the situation is beyond tragic, she knows both Rundle and Nelson died doing something they loved.
'As much as I wanted to be very rocked and heart wrenched, which you're going to be no matter what, I still can hear Raimi saying, 'Girl, like, I was happy,'' Hite said.
In the midst of tragedy, Hite hopes to shed light on how Rundle inspired her and countless others.
'That woman is a superhero,' Hite said. 'The things she's done for her son, the things she's done for her family, she never wanted any recognition for that, but she deserves a world title for being supermom.'
Hite said the hardest part in all of this is the children left behind. Both Rundle and the Morrows had young kids who are now facing the tragic reality. Although their lives will never be the same, Hite said she's confident that grieving family and friends will be there to lift them up now and well into the future.
A GoFundMe has been started for Nelson and Rundle's three children. You can find it here.
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