Super Bowl winner posts tragic tribute to daughter killed in air show disaster
Former San Francisco 49ers NFL linebacker and two-time Super Bowl Champion Bruce Collie posted a touching tribute on Facebook in memory of his daughter, who recently passed away in an aviation tragedy.
Collie posted two photos of his daughter Devyn Reiley, who was killed in an airplane crash during an air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The caption read, "I trust you, my King. All things to work together for good."
Reiley was one of four people killed during the air show in separate plane crashes. The single-engine plane she was in went down into Lake Winnebago during the Experimental Airfare Association's AirVenture convention. The convention attracts more than 600,000 people and 100,00 airplanes each July.
Collie's post was met with an outpour of support from friends, family, and supporters alike.
"Love you, Bruce, and we are praying for y'all. Please let us know if we can do anything here. We are so sorry and so fortunate to have met her when we did. To God be the glory," wrote one family friend under the post.
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"Sending you all love and continued prayers for peace. She will be so missed as a bright ray of sunshine on this Earth," wrote another family supporter.
"I am so so sorry to hear this. My heart breaks for you. She was always so kind and friendly when we would see her at Brewster's," wrote a family friend.
Collie and Jerry Rice on NFL Draft night in 1985.After Reiley's plane crashed, two helicopters collided in the air over the Wittman Regional Airport, killing two more pilots. The Federal Aviation Administration revealed that the incident happened around 1:30 p.m. on July 29, with two people on board each helicopter.
Both crashes are being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board, confirmed by air show spokesperson Dick Knapinski.
"They did identify the victims from the t-26 accident Saturday morning. The pilot would be 30-year-old Devyn Reilly of Guadalupe, Texas, and the passenger would be 20-year-old Zach Koly Merano. We do not have an immediate hometown on him," Knapinski told WFRV Local 5.
Calyn Collie, her younger sister, set up a GoFundMe. The proceeds were designed to go to Devyn's husband, Hunter. As of this writing, the page has raised $20,021 out of its $25,000 goal.
Just nine days before Reiley's death, Collie published a Facebook post explaining her love for aviation and how it's a family passion.
"When you have multiple children, you have multiple choices. Our Devyn has always chosen aviation. God is so cool to give her a family that is ALL aviation. Thank you, Reiley's, for being the family that she was destined for. So proud, Dad.
Collie was drafted by the 49ers with the last pick in Round 5 of the 1985 NFL draft, which was the same year that the team selected Hall of Fame wide receiver No. 16 overall. He was waived by the team following their 1990 Super Bowl victory and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles to finish his NFL career in 1991.
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