Reba McEntire, the renowned country music diva, knows firsthand about the depths of sadness and loss. In 1991, tragedy struck when she and seven other band members, along with her tour manager, were involved in a devastating airplane crash during a performance.
The Fateful Night
It was March 16, 1991, when McEntire and her band performed at a personal gathering in San Diego. After the show, two aircraft were prepared to fly the band members to their upcoming performance in Fort Wayne, Indiana. However, McEntire, her then-husband and manager Narvel Blackstock, and her stylist Sandi Spika remained in San Diego for the evening.
Tragedy struck when the first flight crashed just ten miles east of the airport, while the second jet safely reached its destination. As McEntire recounted in a heartfelt interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2012, the plane crashed when its tip collided with a boulder on the side of Otay Mountain. Everyone on board lost their lives in the tragic incident.
Coping with Loss
In the wake of the devastating event, McEntire and her loved ones grappled with immense grief. Recalling that fateful night, McEntire shared a poignant moment when her husband returned to their hotel room and informed her of the crash. The pain and uncertainty were palpable as she anxiously questioned the fate of their friends. Sadly, the news confirmed their worst fears.
Sifting through the aftermath, McEntire vividly described how her husband tirelessly sought out information about the calamity. “Narvel was going room to room with a phone, ringing…” McEntire’s voice trailed off as tears welled up, illustrating the enduring emotional impact the tragedy had on her.
Honoring the Fallen
Instead of continuing the tour with other artists, as suggested by friends like Vince Gill and Dolly Parton, McEntire chose to pay tribute to her lost bandmates. She poured her heart into her subsequent album, aptly titled “For My Broken Heart.” The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and sold an astonishing four million copies in its first week.
To this day, McEntire continues to honor the memory of those who perished in the plane crash. Each year on the anniversary of the tragedy, she takes a moment to reflect and remember. In 2014, she marked the occasion through a heartfelt Instagram post. And in 2016, on the 25th anniversary of the tragedy, she embarked on a poignant journey to San Diego, which she shared with her followers on social media.
McEntire’s resilience in the face of immense loss is a testament to her strength and character. Her ongoing tributes serve as a reminder that even in the midst of heartbreak, love and remembrance can heal and bring solace to those left behind.
