‘Smash’ actress Megan Hilty breaks silence on family members’ fatal floatplane crash
“Smash” actress Megan Hilty has faced some of the “worst days” of her life following the tragic deaths of her pregnant sister, brother-in-law and nephew, who were all killed in a small-plane crash off the coast of Washington State over the weekend.
The floatplane was traveling to Renton Municipal Airport on Sunday when it went down in Puget Sound off the coast of Whidbey Island, about 30 miles away from Seattle. Nine adults and one child were onboard at the time.
“My beloved sister Lauren, brother-in-law Ross and baby nephew Remy were on that plane,” Hilty wrote in an Instagram tribute posted Wednesday night. “To make this news even more devastating, my sister was eight months pregnant and we were expecting to welcome baby boy Luca into the world next month.”
The U.S. Coast Guard has since identified the remaining victims as Patricia Hicks, Sandra Williams, Luke Ludwig, Rebecca Ludwig, Joanne Mera, Gabrielle Hanna and Jason Winters, who was the pilot of the floatplane. As of Thursday, only one body has been recovered.
Megan Hilty (JEAN-BAPTISTE LACROIX/)
“The last three days have been the worst of our lives,” Hilty continued. “There are truly no words to appropriately convey the depth of our grief.”
The actress also noted that while she did not plan on publicly addressing her loss, she felt the need to correct errors in some of the reports regarding the tragedy. She said that some media outlets have misgendered her nephew while others made no mention of baby Luca at all.
Hilty added that Ross and Lauren are survived by their daughter, “who we are all holding in our hearts.”
“Thankfully, she was not on the plane and we ask that her name and personal information be kept private as she is a minor,” she wrote. “It is important these details be corrected to respectfully honor everyone we’ve lost and the loved ones they’ve left behind.”
Hilty is best known for her starring role as Ivy Lynn on the musical-drama series “Smash.” She also appeared as Glinda the Good Witch in “Wicked” from 2005-2006 on Broadway before taking on the role for the national tour. The performer garnered a Tony Award nomination for her performance as Brooke Ashton in “Noises Off.”
“The outpouring of love and support has meant so much to everyone in our family,” the stage star concluded. “It has been so comforting to know just how loved Lauren, Ross, Remy and Luca truly are.”
The incident is currently under investigation by the National Transportation and Safety Board.
