The wedding ceremony of Will Byler and Bailee Ackerman on November 3 was described by one of their guests as “magical,” the Washington Post reported. The couple was married in Uvalde, Texas. They exchanged their vows at a ranch owned by the groom’s family. The venue was fitting for the couple since it is also where Blyer proposed to Ackerman.

Marriage proposed spelled out on family’s ranch

Blyer staged his proposal by placing rocks in a pattern on the property’s river bend, where he spelled out the question that many people long to hear: “Will you marry me?” There was no way she could overlook the big question, since the couple flew above the ranch in a helicopter that was also owned by Blyer’s family, according to the Post.

One of his friends described the couple as having flown “around the ranch” for Ackerman to see his proposal.

The newlyweds were seniors, attending Sam Houston State University, CNN noted. Blyer and Ackerman were both 23. They were married roughly 90 minutes before they were killed on the way to their honeymoon, People reported. The bride and groom were in the Blyer family’s helicopter en route to a local airport, where they planned to “board a flight to their honeymoon location.”

Cheering guests gave couple honeymoon send-off

The helicopter crashed on the Blyer family’s ranch, roughly 100 miles from San Antonio. Only 10 minutes earlier, nearly 700 wedding guests were cheering as the bride and groom left their wedding reception.

Everything leading to their future together seemed on-course, but the chopper crashed into a mountainside.

Pilot was 'highly qualified’ family friend

Gerald Green Lawrence, 76, was a well-experienced pilot with over 24,000 hours of flight time. According to CNN and Craig Hatch, who is an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Lawrence was “highly qualified.” Lawrence was also familiar flying the craft – for roughly 20 years.

There was no doubt who would pilot the craft. Lawrence, a Vietnam Veteran, was considered part of the Blyer family, People reported. He and the groom’s father were friends, not merely employer and employee. It was a connection the two men shared for decades. The pilot’s family told People that Lawrence was “ecstatic” to be taking the newlyweds to catch their flight.

He attended the wedding and had not a drop of alcohol.

The pilot was physically and mentally fit. He was also killed in the crash that left no obvious explanation, only wreckage that was strewn nearly 100 yards. Reaching the crash site was no quick or easy task since no roads lead to it. The closest state road was four miles away from the site, Hatch informed at a news conference.

‘Fairytale’ wedding turned tragic

The groom’s family arrived by private helicopter at the site of the crash before rescuers, who made the trek the following day.

The time of the crash at almost 2:00 AM, along with the terrain, meant that rescue personnel had to wait for the “pitch dark” to pass with the arrival of daylight.

People reported that “many of the couple’s 700 wedding guests have posted moving tributes on social media.” A wedding that attendees described as a “fairytale” and “perfect” took a most tragic turn.

Preliminary NTSB report

In mid-November, the NTSB release a preliminary report about the helicopter crash. The agency's report stated that there is not a definitive cause. The NTSB's investigation, however, is not complete.

Within a year, the agency anticipates releasing a more incisive report. As well, a probable cause will be relayed within roughly two months of the final report's release.

In other news, comedian Tim Conway, who has dementia, has been relocated seven times following brain surgery on September 3. His daughter and wife are in a legal dispute about where Conway should live during rehab. Meanwhile, in Cape Town, South Africa, Jolandi Le Roux fell 500 feet to her death on her birthday. She lost her footing as her husband was taking a photo of her that she wanted.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED