OSHKOSH, Wis. — A New Braunfels family and the aviation community are mourning after pilot Devyn Collie Reiley was killed in a plane crash in Wisconsin.
According to the family's GoFundMe, the crash happened around 9:15 a.m. on Saturday, July 29. They said she was flying her family's World War II-era T-6 Texan Warbird over Lake Winnebago with a family friend as a passenger, later identified as Zach Colliemoreno. Neither survived the crash.
Reilly was the daughter of former NFL player Bruce Collie. Her husband, Hunter, posted a tribute to his late wife on Facebook.
"How I miss you incredibly already. I want you to know how proud I am of you for chasing your dreams. I love you so much, the words can not contain the true depth of my love for you," he said. "You were my best friend, partner, teammate, doggy mom, caretaker, and so much more. God truly blessed me when He gave me you. I’m saddened and angry that we only had the short time that we got to spend together, but understand the memories we made are of lifetimes."
Her friend Sean Burque also shared a lengthy tribute, and spoke more about Reiley's passion for flying and preserving the history of old warbirds and the people who flew them.
"She had a dream close to her heart - the creation of the Texas Warbird Museum," he said. "Her vision was to preserve the legacy of vintage military aircraft and share the stories of the brave pilots who served their country."
Reiley was in town for the AirVenture Oshkosh airshow, which showcases vintage planes and the history behind them.
"Devyn, blue skies and tailwinds friend," AirExpo said.
Many mentioned her connection to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), a group of female civilian pilots that formed during WWII.
The San Antonio chapter of the Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots posted a tribute, and shared information about a scholarship being organized to keep her legacy alive.
"Devyn was a sister 99... a kindred spirit of the WASP, and an accomplished pilot in her own right -- striving to keep the legacy of the WASP and the planes that they flew alive," they said. "That endeavor will continue to prevail in the form of a future scholarship in her name."