Six people were killed, including two suburban school employees and their sons, when a plane crashed in Wisconsin on Saturday morning. Now, coworkers and students at the school remember the men whose lives were lost in the tragic crash. NBC 5’s Chris Hush reports.
A Cessna jet that took off from Chicago early Saturday morning crashed in northern Wisconsin, killing six people on board, police said.
Two of the victims were identified on Saturday night as Bensenville School District employees, according to NBC 5. Charles Tomlitz, a maintenance director with the district, and Thomas DeMauro, a P.E. teacher at Tioga Elementary, were among the six killed when the plane crashed at approximately 3:21 a.m. Saturday morning.
According to investigators, both Tomlitz and DeMauro's sons were also onboard the aircraft when it crashed on the way to a fishing excursion in Canada.
"The DeMauro family would like to express our gratitude for the outpouring of support after the tragic loss of Tom and Kyle," a statement from the DeMauro family read. "We deeply mourn their loss and both will be dearly missed. We would especially like to extend our gratitude to the first responders and community of Price County, Wisconsin, and our family and friends in Bensenville as we struggle to process this unfortunate loss."
Funeral services for Thomas and Kyle DeMauro will be determined at a later date, the family announced.
In the aftermath of the crash, colleagues and friends of the victims shared fond memories and their stunned sadness following the tragedy.
"I know they've taken this trip before," Vince Gaudio, a coworker of the men, said. "It's just tragic. (Tom) was full of energy, and he was very enthusiastic. He always had a smile on his face."
The crash occurred near the city of Phillips, the Price County Sheriff's Office said. The plane had left from Chicago and was heading to Canada, according to the sheriff's office.
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Police could not release the identities of the remaining two victims until families were notified, Price County Sheriff Brian Schmidt told NBC-affiliate WFJW. The sheriff did confirm that all six victims of the crash were adults.
The NTSB and FAA are investigating the crash, WFJW reported. Debris from the plane scattered around a quarter-mile radius from the crash site, and anyone who finds debris is encouraged to call police.
