CLOVIS, CA — A Central Valley faith community is wrapping its arms around the Eady family after a plane crash killed Danna Eady, her husband Craig Eady and two young children. Friends, relatives and fellow church members are grieving together while also moving quickly to help with practical needs.

According to authorities, the family left Sierra Sky Park Airport in northwest Fresno on Saturday. Moments later, the plane went down on the bluff above the San Joaquin River, leaving those who knew the family stunned by the sudden loss. In the days since, support has poured in through prayers, donations and small acts of care.

Church members say faith is helping them carry the grief

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Auberry say the Eady family was deeply involved in the congregation. Their absence is being felt not only as a personal loss, but as the loss of active, familiar faces in a close-knit church family.

Kristin Leonard, who is part of the congregation, said many members are leaning on their faith as they mourn. She said the belief in eternal families has been a source of comfort, along with trust in Jesus Christ for solace during a painful time.

Leonard said the outpouring of prayers from the community has given people strength while they process the tragedy. She described the church’s response as one of heartbreak, saying the news came as a shock to everyone connected to the family.

Auberry congregation feels the family's absence deeply

Beyond the immediate grief, church members are noticing the everyday ways the family helped shape the congregation. Their presence was part of the routine life of the Auberry church, and that makes the silence after the crash especially hard to bear.

Leonard said the community is trying to support one another through the emotional weight of the loss. She spoke about shared grief, saying people are struggling together rather than alone, and that the heartbreak has reached far beyond a single household.

That sense of togetherness has become an important part of the mourning process. For many in the congregation, simply being surrounded by others who knew the Eadys has offered a measure of comfort during a devastating time.

Former students remember Danna Eady as a supportive instructor

The impact of the crash has spread beyond the church. Daniel Armenta, a flight science student at Reedley College, remembered Danna Eady as an instructor who made a lasting impression on her students.

Armenta said she taught them well and encouraged them to keep moving forward. Those lessons, he said, are part of the reason she will be remembered so fondly by people who learned from her.

For students and others who worked with her, the loss is personal as well as tragic. The memories shared by former students add another layer to the community’s response, showing how widely Danna Eady’s influence reached.

Fundraiser passes $60,000 as neighbors help with meals and expenses

In addition to prayer, loved ones have organized a fundraiser to help cover funeral expenses for the family. The effort has already brought in more than $60,000, a sign of how strongly the community has responded.

People have also stepped forward in quieter ways, arranging meals and helping make sure the family is cared for day to day. Leonard said there have been many meals organized, reflecting a community effort that goes beyond donations alone.

Those practical gestures are helping the family through the earliest and hardest days of mourning. They also show how friends, church members and neighbors are trying to carry some of the burden together.

Grief continues as the community leans on one another

As the shock of the crash settles into grief, Leonard said many people are finding comfort in simple acts of support. She said the community is leaning on one another while facing a heartbreaking loss that has touched families, students and church members alike.

The response has become a reminder of how a shared faith community can come together in a crisis. Prayer, meals and financial help have all become part of the way people are trying to honor the Eady family and support those left behind.

For now, the focus remains on helping the family and giving mourners a place to gather in their sorrow. The loss is still raw, but the outpouring of care shows that the Eadys are being remembered with love.

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