LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A grandfather and his young granddaughter. An electrician with two young children. A woman standing in line at a scrap metal business.
They were among the 14 people who died in the fiery crash of a UPS plane in Louisville last week. Their names were released Wednesday as Mayor Craig Greenberg lamented the lives that will forever be unfinished.
“As we share the names of those who we‘ve lost, our city feels the full weight of this unimaginable tragedy,” Greenberg said at a news conference. “Behind every one of these names is a circle of family, friends, stories that will forever be unfinished.”
Eight days after the plane plowed into the ground in a massive fireball, the local coroner’s office announced that it had completed the somber tasks of recovering victims’ remains, identifying them, and notifying their loved ones. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are still at the crash site, according to Greenberg.
Among the victims were three pilots, Capt. Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Capt. Dana Diamond, who were on board when the crash occurred during takeoff at UPS Worldport.
Authorities believe that all the victims have now been located and identified, Greenberg confirmed. John Spray, 45, was killed at Grade A Auto Parts & Recycling when the plane crashed into the business. The mother of his child shared how he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The family of Louisnes Fedon, 47, echoed similar sentiments indicating that his death has left an immense void. Fedon and his 3-year-old granddaughter, Kimberly Asa, were also victims of the crash, both caught unaware as the plane descended onto the ground.
Matthew Sweets, a 37-year-old electrician, was seriously injured and later died due to severe burns. Another victim, Ella Petty Whorton, was at the recycling facility when the tragic accident happened. Her boyfriend remembered her as a wonderful person beloved by everyone.
The crash also took the lives of Angela Anderson, Carlos Fernandez, Trinadette Chavez, Tony Crain, John Loucks, and Megan Washburn. The details surrounding their circumstances at the time of the accident have not yet been made public.
Mayor Greenberg praised the coroner’s office for their dedication in identifying victims and supporting families through this tragic period. I had a family member ask me yesterday, ‘how do you ever get used to this?’ And I said, ‘I don’t,' remarked Jefferson County Coroner Jo-Ann Farmer, emphasizing the emotional impact of such tragedies on first responders.
