A family of five was tragically killed in a plane crash in upstate New York after attending one of their kids baseball tournaments, where he hit a grand slam in his last game. James Van Epps, 12, was a talented young baseball player who lived out his baseball dreams of hitting a grand slam in his final baseball game before he and his family passed away. James' pilot grandfather, Roger Beggs, flew the family from Georgia to an annual national tournament at Cooperstown Dreams Park, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The family had just taken off and were on their way home when their single-engine Piper PA-46 crashed upstate in Mansonville, also killing James’ brother Harrison, 10, and their parents Laura and Ryan Van Epps, both 42.
“It’s just a massive tragedy for our family and the end of five great lives, especially young lives,” said Ryan’s father Jim Van Epps of the loss of his son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. The Van Epps family confirmed the tragic news, saying they are truly heartbroken. “As we grapple with this unimaginable loss, let us come together to remember and celebrate the beautiful lives they lived. Their kindness, laughter, and love will forever be etched in our hearts,” they said. “May we find strength and solace in the memories and the outpouring of love from all who knew them.”
James' baseball coach, Frank Tumminia Jr., wrote a heartfelt Facebook post about James, who was nicknamed "JR," where he revealed that the 12-year-old hit a grand slam in his final game. "His parents were too modest and humble to post about his athletic dominance so that is my job today as coach," he said. "Mistakes are how kids learn, it’s part of the evolution. JR did not make mistakes… in any facet of his life— relationships, school, and goodness gracious if you’ve been hit by him then you know…any time he touched the field." He continued, "Today and for as long as I live I will teach the living testimony of JR. A piece of me left with him yesterday afternoon. I will remember him as the ultimate human."
According to a spokesperson from the National Transportation Safety Board, the plane crashed just 12 minutes after departure. "Preliminary information indicates that the plane was flying from Oneonta, New York to Charleston, West Virginia when it crashed under unknown circumstances," the NTSB spokesperson added. "Meteorological data shows storm activity along the flight path."
