Megan Hilty Remembers Family Members on 2-Year-Anniversary of Fatal Plane Crash: 'They Will Always Be with Me'

Mar. 15, 2025

Megan Hilty.Photo:Santiago Felipe/Getty

Santiago Felipe/Getty

Megan Hiltyis honoring her family members who died in a tragic plane crash two years ago.

Megan’s sister, Lauren Hilty, brother-in-law Ross Mickel, and their son Remy were among the 10 peoplekilled in a plane crashin Washington on Sept. 4, 2022. At the time, Lauren was eight months pregnant.

“If you were lucky enough to know her, you also know how she lit up every room she walked into,” she added. “If Lauren was there, you knew you would be loved, and supported, and that you’d definitely have a good time.”

“They will always be with me - on my mind, in my heart and in the grief I’ll carry for the rest of my life,” she added. “I’ll always be so grateful for everyone who supported [our] family through those terrible months after we lost them and every day since.”

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In the aftermath of the tragic crash, Megan and her sister, Kristen Hilty Eaton, created aGoFundMeto helpraise money to locate the remains of their loved ones.

“When all is said and done, we are now able to move on knowing that our dear family members are, indeed, gone,” she wrote. “Because of your support, we won’t have the lingering doubts of what could have happened, had we not tried to find them. Because of your help, we can finally put those thoughts to rest and simply mourn Lauren, Ross, Remy and Luca. Thank you for your kindness and support. We are infinitely grateful for your breathtaking generosity.”

Also killed in the crashwere Seattle attorney Gabrielle Hanna, 29; pilot Jason Winters; passenger Joanne Mera; civil rights activist Sandra Williams and her partner, retired teacher Patricia Hicks; and married couple Luke and Rebecca Ludwig.

The wreckage of the seaplane was eventually discovered off Whidbey Island, approximately 190 feet down on the Puget Sound sea floor, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The NTSB has concluded that a broken link between the pilot’s controls and the plane’s tail caused the crash,The Seattle Timesreported.

source: people.com