School board vice president and two of his kids are killed when their plane crashed in rural Texas
A school board vice president and two of his young children (ages 6 and 8) were killed when their plane crashed in rural Texas on Sunday.
Dr. Heath Smith, a general and obese surgeon, was piloting the twin-engine Cessna C310 plane with two of his sons, whose names were not released, aboard when the plane lost radar and communications around 12:30 p.m., the National Transportation Safety Board was told USA today.
The plane was en route from Carrizo Springs, Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico border, to Bridgeport in Wise County when it crashed near Poolville, an unincorporated community about 40 miles west of Fort Worth, the Parker County Sheriff’s Office .
The sheriff’s office and emergency services were alerted after receiving reports of a downed plane. The sheriff’s office confirmed that all three people aboard the plane, including the pilot, died in the crash.
The cause of the crash is still unknown and is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the NTSB.
Dr. Heath Smith was among the victims of Sunday’s fatal plane crash. Smith was a general and bariatric surgeon and vice president of the Paradise Independent School District school board
Smith with his wife Andrea pictured with their three sons
Smith with his wife Andrea Smith and his three young sons returning from a hunting trip
According to preliminary information from the NTSB, the wreckage of the doomed plane was found about 10 miles southwest of the Bridgeport Municipal Airport.
The agency said an investigator would arrive at the crash scene Monday morning to begin documenting the accident scene and examining the plane, which will then be transported to a facility for further evaluation, the news channel reported.
Smith was vice president of the Paradise Independent School district in Texas, and officials were distraught when they heard their colleague’s tragic news.
“Our hearts are broken for the Smith family,” said Paradise ISD Superintendent Will Brewer ABC8 News.
“Words cannot fully express the sadness we feel at their loss. The tragedy this family has endured is unimaginable. Dr. Smith was an essential part of our school district as an alumnus, parent and board member.
He was passionate about his love for Paradise ISD and his impact on students and staff will be long lasting. Please keep the Smith family in your prayers.”
Little is known about the trip Smith took with his two children, but it appears the devoted father of three was an airplane enthusiast.
His social media page features photos of his wife and three young sons enjoying yacht excursions, flying in planes and frolicking on the beach.
Smith attended Texas A&M University College of Medicine and was a Fellow of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (FASMBS) and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
His surgical experience ranged from bariatric, colonoscopy, colorectal, hernia, breast, appendix, gallbladder, surgical oncology, and thyroid.
He was also the medical director of My Bariatric Solutions, which has three locations in Decatur, Forth Worth and Waco, Texas.
Smith wrote in one of his biographies, “My patients deserve a physician and surgeon who will treat them with compassion and understanding. A doctor who listens to them and treats them with respect and dignity.’
A photo of Dr. Smith wearing headphones around his head while piloting an airplane on a previous flight
News of Smith’s sudden and tragic passing sent shockwaves through the community as many remembered him as a beloved and dedicated physician, father, husband and wonderful human being.
Many expressed their heartbreak and sent prayers to Smith’s wife and their eldest surviving son, including his former and current patients.
‘RIP Dr. Heath Smith and your two lovely sons!!,” one person wrote.
“I am so sorry for this devastating loss. Pray for your wife, your remaining son, and the rest of your family as they grieve. Life is so precious and this is just so tragic!!!
Another echoed the same sentiment, writing “a terrible loss.”
“The Smith family has always been a pillar of the community. “I pray for the rest of the family and those who worked with him,” they said.
One patient wrote, “To the surgeon who changed my life, Dr. Heath Smith, my prayers are with your family at this time. The loss of you and your two children is immeasurable.”