‘UNIMAGINABLE LOSS’: Illinois Candidate Darren Bailey’s Family Killed in Montana Helicopter Crash
A tragedy that has stunned both the political world and the American heartland — four members of Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey’s family were killed in a devastating helicopter crash late Wednesday night in southeastern Montana.
According to a statement from Bailey’s campaign, the victims include Bailey’s son Zach, his daughter-in-law Kelsey, and their two young children, Veda Rose and Samuel. The only surviving grandchild, ten-year-old Finn, was not aboard the aircraft.
In an emotional message released Thursday morning, the Bailey family said they were “heartbroken by this unimaginable loss. There are no words.”
The helicopter, identified as a Robinson R66, went down in a remote field surrounded by open plains and autumn wind — a landscape as quiet as the grief now hanging over the Bailey family. Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are currently investigating the cause of the crash. Early reports suggest that weather conditions in the region may have been unstable, but authorities have yet to confirm whether that played a role.
NBC News correspondent Tom Costello reported that the R66, powered by a Rolls-Royce engine, generally has a strong safety record. Still, this latest crash comes during a troubling year of aviation incidents nationwide — including fatal helicopter crashes in Alaska, New York, and Utah — reminding many of the risks that come even with routine flights.
Images from the crash site, released by local officials, show the wreckage in an open field — twisted metal and scorched earth surrounded by silence. First responders arrived swiftly, but there were no survivors.
For Darren Bailey — a former Illinois state senator and outspoken conservative who recently announced another bid for governor — the tragedy is both profoundly personal and painfully public.
“On Wednesday evening, Darren and his wife Cindy received the heartbreaking news no parent ever wants to hear,” the campaign said. “They have lost their children and two of their beloved grandchildren.”
Messages of sympathy and prayer have poured in from across the country. Political colleagues, public figures, and ordinary citizens alike have expressed their sorrow and solidarity. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker called the news “absolutely devastating,” while community members in Bailey’s hometown of Louisville gathered for a candlelight vigil late Thursday night.
As the investigation unfolds, the Bailey family has asked for privacy and continued prayers as they navigate what one family friend described as “the kind of loss that stops time.”
In the quiet fields of Montana, where the helicopter fell, investigators continue their work under the gray autumn sky. The twisted wreckage now stands as a symbol of heartbreak that transcends politics — a reminder that behind every headline are fragile lives, loving families, and the enduring ache of human loss.
The NTSB says a preliminary report is expected within weeks, though determining the exact cause could take several months. Until then, an entire state mourns with the Baileys — bound together not by party or policy, but by compassion and shared grief.
And in that shared silence, one truth remains clear: even in heartbreak, the strength of family endures.