'Completely devastated': Mother speaks out after son and husband killed in plane crash
The mother of a 12-year-old boy killed in a plane crash on Nov. 5 posted a heartfelt goodbye to her son, saying their family is "completely devastated."
Tanya Kimball also said goodbye to her husband, Drew Kimball, 44, in an Instagram post.
The father and son were among five people killed when a business jet crashed into a vehicle after an aborted takeoff at Falcon Field Airport in Mesa.
"Our hearts are excruciatingly heavy as we share the passing of Drew and Grahm," she wrote. "We stand and know, without a doubt, that families are forever."
She also asked people to pray for all the families involved.
Police on Nov. 6 identified the other victims as Spencer Lindahl, 43 and Rustin Randall, 48, who were aboard the plane. The driver of the vehicle hit by the plane also died, but police have not released the driver's name.
A teenage relative of the victims, who was also aboard the plane, remained hospitalized with burn injuries the next afternoon, police said.
The multimillion-dollar jet crashed about 4:45 p.m. Witnesses told police the plane never left the ground. It plowed through a field and the end of a runway, tore into a fence, slid onto Greenfield Road where it hit the vehicle and stopped in an orchard on the other side, where it erupted in flames.
Friends of the Lindahl and Randall families also took to social media to express their grief.
"We lost 2 remarkable men last night," Mesa dentist Nate Porter wrote in a Facebook post. "They were like brothers, and we raised our families together. I am forever grateful for the time we had together."
Porter posted a series of photos — Disneyland, the beach, lakes, restaurants, get-togethers — all showing a smiling crowd of friends.
Porter could not be reached for comment.
A regional safety manager for a construction company in Mesa posted on Porter's page that she tried to help after the crash.
"I'm so sorry for your loss, I was one of the first to stop and try and help," Michelle Jones wrote. "I sat with the young man who survived the plane crash until EMS arrived onsite. My prayers are with all of you!"
The deaths rippled through the East Valley, where some of the victims lived and worshipped.
In an email to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chandler, ward leaders also called for "earnest prayers."
Social workers and school counselors were on hand on Nov. 6 at Carlson Elementary School in Chandler, where Grahm Kimball was in sixth grade.
Chandler Unified School District spokeswoman Stephanie Ingersoll said the crisis response team would be available the following day as well.
"As a community, we are heartbroken and grieving his passing," read a statement from Ingersoll.
The Kimball family was still reeling from the sudden death of their oldest son, Braden, less than a year ago.
Drew Kimball delivered a keynote address, backdropped by images of his son, at the Hope Mental Health Foundation charity event on Oct. 25. He talked about the importance of making time to "check in" with family and friends.
The Foundation posted a message on Facebook.
"We are heartbroken to hear the news of the tragic loss of our friend, Drew, his son Grahm and his friends last night," the foundation wrote. "We are grateful to have heard his speech at our gala ... We will honor his message and legacy at Hope."
Tanya Kimball wrote on Instagram that her family takes solace in knowing her husband and sons had "a glorious reunion ... on the other side."
She captioned a picture of Grahm and Drew with the message: "Grahm Bentley Kimball & Drew Steven Kimball reunited with Braden on November 5th, 2024."
Robert Anglen is an investigative reporter for The Republic. Reach him at . Follow him on X .
Elena Santa Cruz is a criminal justice reporter for The Republic. Reach her at . Follow her on X .
Jose R. Gonzalez is a breaking news reporter for The Republic. Reach him at . Follow him on X, .
