Helicopter Crash Claims Four Members of Illinois Politician’s Family

It began as a routine family trip but ended in an unthinkable tragedy that has shaken an entire community.

Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey and his wife, Cindy, received heartbreaking news on the evening of October 22 — their son Zachary, his wife Kelsey, and their two children, 12-year-old Vada Rose and 7-year-old Samuel, were…

It began as a routine family trip but ended in an unthinkable tragedy that has shaken an entire community. Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey and his wife, Cindy, received heartbreaking news on the evening of October 22 — their son Zachary, his wife Kelsey, and their two children, 12-year-old Vada Rose and 7-year-old Samuel, were killed in a helicopter crash in Montana. Only one grandchild, 10-year-old Finn, survived because he had traveled separately. As investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) examine what went wrong, messages of prayer and support have poured in for the devastated Bailey family.

According to officials, the Robinson R66 helicopter went down near Ekalaka, Montana, shortly after 7 p.m. local time. The family had been attending a farming convention and was returning from the event when the accident occurred. The aircraft was piloted by Zachary, who was experienced and often flew the family’s helicopters for both business and community trips. Emergency crews arrived quickly, but there were no survivors on board. The NTSB has begun an investigation to determine the cause of the crash, which may take months to complete.