A New York family of six died Saturday, April 12th, when their small private plane crashed in a muddy field in upstate New York, cutting short the lives of a beloved group of doctors, student-athletes, and young professionals who were heading to a birthday and Passover celebration.

Among the victims was 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year Karenna Groff, a standout MIT graduate and medical student at New York University, along with her parents, Dr. Michael Groff and Dr. Joy Saini, her brother Jared Groff, his partner Alexia Couyutas Duarte, and Karenna’s boyfriend, James Santoro.

The Groff family, along with their loved ones, had boarded a Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft on Saturday morning at Westchester County Airport, planning to land at Columbia County Airport for a birthday and Passover gathering. Tragically, after missing their initial landing approach, the pilot radioed for new instructions, but air traffic control soon lost contact. Moments later, the plane crashed into a field in Copake, New York, about ten miles south of their destination.

The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, owned and piloted by Dr. Groff, crashed into a muddy field in Copake, New York, around noon after the pilot missed his initial approach to Columbia County Airport. Despite an attempt to reroute, air traffic control lost contact with the aircraft moments before the fatal crash.

According to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators, the aircraft was discovered heavily damaged, embedded into the terrain after a steep descent. Although the plane had been equipped with newly upgraded cockpit technology and the experienced pilot was flying under instrument flight rules, investigators noted that the crash happened rapidly and without prior structural failure. A full investigation could take up to two years.

Family and friends have been left devastated. John Santoro, father of James Santoro, told reporters, “The world lost a lot of very good people who were going to do a lot of good for the world if they had the opportunity. We’re all personally devastated.”

In an earlier interview after winning the NCAA Woman of the Year award, Karenna credited her success to her support system. “This recognition is a testament to my MIT women’s soccer family and all of the guidance, support, and friendship they have provided for me over the years,” she said.

The Groff family was well-known not only for their professional achievements but also for their kindness, humility, and desire to make a positive difference in the world. In a statement, surviving family members said, “We will remember them as the six brilliant, dynamic, and loving people that they were.”

In the midst of this heartbreaking loss, we are reminded of the fragility of life and the importance of lifting one another up in prayer. As we mourn the passing of this bright and beloved family, we also cling to the hope that in Christ, death is not the end. We pray for the surviving family members and friends who now carry this heavy grief, trusting that God, who is near to the brokenhearted, will comfort them in the days ahead.

Heavenly Father, we lift up the Groff and Santoro families to You. In the depths of their sorrow, may they feel Your presence surrounding them with peace that surpasses all understanding. Bring comfort to their aching hearts, and remind them that nothing — not even death — can separate us from Your love. We entrust these precious lives into Your hands and ask for healing, strength, and hope for all who mourn. In Jesus’ name, Amen.