Plane Crash Victims Remembered

"That's my brother I will never forget him," says 18 year old Kevin McLellan who felt getting a tattoo with his younger brother's name was the only way to express his unbelievable grief. "He was loving to his family and always athletic," he said.

15-year-old Tyler McLellan along with family friend, 49-year-old Patricia Snyder, both of Stuart, and pilot 81-year-old Harlan Northcott of Tampa Bay, were killed yesterday in a fiery plane crash in Hillsborough County.

The Beechcraft Bonanza hit a tower upon takeoff at the small Vandenberg Airport around 3:30pm. The aircraft was operating an Angel Flight where volunteer pilots transport sick patients back and forth to hospitals. It was Snyder who was undergoing a battle with lung cancer and was returning to Stuart after finishing treatment at a H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.

Despite her illness, long -time friend Cristy Siffler says the woman was always: "Warm, giving, happy, and never complained about the illness. She was always smiling." Snyder, who worked at The Clock Restaurant on U.S. 1 in Stuart was best friend's with McLellan's mother. The teenager was also close to her and had moved in with Snyder.

McLellan was going to be a sophomore at Martin County High school and according to his J.V. Football coach, he had all the marks of greatness. "Tyler was always eager and always gave it 100% in practice," said coach Bob Smith.