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Megan Hilty is asking her fans, and the general public, for help finding the bodies of her relatives who died in a plane crash in Washington state last month.
The Broadway star’s sister, Lauren, who was eight months pregnant, her brother-in-law Ross Mickel, and her two-year-old nephew Remy died when the seaplane they were flying crashed into Puget Sound off the coast of Whidbey Island.
Mickel’s body was found during a search by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), but the remains of her sister and her young son have not been found.
Now that the official investigation is over, the family has started a GoFundMe page to help a private company continue the search in the hopes of “bringing Lauren, Remy & Luca back home.”
Family tragedy: Broadway star Megan Hilty took to Instagram to reveal that her family must pay a private company to continue the search for her pregnant sister Lauren (center) and her two-year-old nephew Remy, who were killed in a plane crash in the state of Washington last month; Megan is on the right in the photo together with her other sister and mother
Horrific: The actress and singer’s relatives were among 10 people killed when the seaplane they were flying crashed into Puget Sound off the coast of Whidbey Island
‘Hello everyone. By now many of you have heard about the tragic loss of my family. I’m reaching out now because we need your help,” Hilty, 41, began in an Instagram post with a photo of her sister and nephew. “When the NTSB retrieved the plane, several victims were recovered, and luckily Ross was one of them—but not my beloved sister and cousin.”
After revealing that the NTSB had completed its work, the Washington state resident talked about hiring a private company to look for her pregnant sister and cousin.
“While the odds are slim, there’s still a chance we could find them, and we can all agree that in the end we want to say we did everything we could to bring them home.” But we can’t do this alone,” she explained.
The NTSB announced on Sept. 4 that they had discovered the wreckage of the plane and that all 10 people on board had been killed, in an announcement on its website.
The search for family: Hilty revealed that her brother-in-law, Ross Mickel (pictured) was found among the wreckage, but her sister Lauren (pictured), who was eight months pregnant with a son named Luca, and her cousin Remy were not found
A US Coast Guard boat searches near Freeland, Wash., on Whidbey Island north of Seattle
The single-engine de Havilland DHC-3 Otter propeller plane, operated by Friday Harbor Seaplane, crashed near Whidbey Island, Washington in Puget Sound, halfway between its destination and take-off points.
Upon hearing the tragic news, the actress and singer, who rose to prominence for her roles in Broadway musicals, including Wicked, 9 to 5: The Musical and Noises Off, took to Instagram to share her grief and reach out to fans and followers. thank you for their support.
She said that “Lauren and Ross left my niece, whom we all cherish in our hearts.”
“Luckily she was not on the plane and we ask that her name and personal information be kept private as she is a minor,” the little girl said.
The single-engine de Havilland DHC-3 Otter propeller plane, operated by Friday Harbor Seaplane, crashed near Whidbey Island
“It’s so comforting to know how much loved Lauren, Ross, Remy and Luca really are,” she concluded.
Hilty and her family have started a GoFundMe page – Help Us Bring Lauren, Remy & Luca Home – hosted by Megan Hilty to continue the recovery mission, which she says will bring “a huge prize”.
Initially their goal was to raise $50,000 for the quest, but in just one day they have already raised more than $72,000 from 799 donations. The largest amount came from television director Robert Greenblatt, who donated $5,000.
Hilty has already stated that all money raised for their cause would be donated to “the team who have devoted their lives to helping families like ours find their loved ones.”
She ended both her Instagram post and the GoFundMe page by thanking everyone for “your love, support and generosity during this incredibly challenging time.”
Help in Need: The Family Started a GoFundMe Page That Reached the $50,000 Goal in Less Than a Day