Broadway star Megan Hilty confirmed her sister Lauren Hilty, brother-in-law Ross Mickel, and baby nephew Remy were aboard the floatplane that crashed into Puget Sound in Washington Sunday. Hilty’s sister was also eight months pregnant with a baby boy they named Luca, who was due in October. Lauren, Mickel, and Remy were among the 10 victims of the crash.
“The last three days have been the worst of our lives,” the Wicked actress wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of her sister and brother-in-law in Paris and a photo of Remy. “There are truly no words to appropriately convey the depth of our grief.”
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Hilty said she did not plan on acknowledging this “painful family tragedy publicly,” but she saw news outlets had misgendered her nephew and some did not mention Luca. The couple also left behind a daughter, “who we are all holding in our hearts,” Hilty wrote. Their daughter was not on the plane and Hilty asked the media to preserve her privacy because she is a minor.
“It is important these details be corrected to respectfully honor everyone we’ve lost and the loved ones they’ve left behind,” Hilty wrote. “The outpouring of love and support has meant so much to everyone in our family. It has been so comforting to know just how loved Lauren, Ross, Remy, and Luca truly are.”
Hilty’s family was on a floatplane traveling from Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands to Renton Municipal Airport. The plane crashed in Mutiny Bay off Whidbey Island in Puget Sound. A good Samaritan found the body of one female victim, but authorities were unable to locate the other victims. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search on Monday, reports KING 5.
After authorities announced the identities of all 10 victims, Mikel’s family confirmed he, Lauren, and Remy were on the plane. “We are deeply saddened and beyond devastated at the loss of our beloved Ross Mickel, Lauren Hilty, Remy, and their unborn baby boy, Luca,” they said in a statement to KING 5. “Our collective grief is unimaginable. They were a bright and shining light in the lives of everyone who knew them. Although their time with us was too short, we will carry their legacy forward.”
The other victims of the crash were Spokane civil rights activist Sandy Williams; Joanne Mera, who was visiting from San Diego; Gabrielle “Gabby” Hanna of Seattle; husband-and-wife Luke and Rebecca Ludwig; and the pilot, Jason Winters. On Monday, the NTSB sentย a team of seven to investigate the crash.ย
