Megan Hilty — former star of the NBC musical drama Smash and Wicked on Broadway — is grieving the deaths of three family members. On Sunday, Hilty’s sister Lauren, her brother-in-law Ross Mickel and their child Remy died in a plane crash in Seattle.
The crash occurred on Seattle’s Mutiny Bay and the flight contained seven other passengers. The names of the victims in the crash were released by the United States Coast Guard on Tuesday (Sept. 6), where it was revealed that Lauren, Ross and Remy were among the passengers. Lauren was pregnant with a baby boy, her and Mickel’s third child. Remy also had a sister, who was not on the plane.
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The Hilty family issued a statement to NBC’s Seattle affiliate KING 5 regarding the loss of their family members and asked the public for their privacy during this time.
“We are deeply saddened and beyond devastated at the loss of our beloved Ross Mickel, Lauren Hilty, Remy and their unborn baby boy, Luca. Our collective grief is unimaginable. They were a bright and shining light in the lives of everyone who knew them. Although their time with us was too short, we will carry their legacy forward,” the statement read. “We want to thank all the first responders, emergency service agencies of Whidbey Island, Island County, the United States Coast Guard (USCG), Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI), and the private citizens who participated in the search and rescue efforts following the crash. The enormous outpouring and support we have received from our friends, family, and the public has been overwhelming. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who also lost loved ones on-board. At this difficult time, we are requesting that our privacy be respected as we grieve the loss of our family members.”
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Billboard has reached out to Megan Hilty’s rep for comment.
In 2016, Hilty was nominated for a Tony for best featured actress in a play thank to her role in Noises Off.
Editor’s note: In an earlier version of this story, Billboard mistakenly reported that Lauren was pregnant with her second child — it was her third. Billboard regrets the error.