WATERTOWN, Wis. — Authorities confirmed the identity of one of two people killed in the small plane crash in Watertown, Wisconsin.
8-year-old Colin Strebe died after the small plane he was in crashed in a wooded area in the City of Watertown on June 14, 2023.
Summit View School Principal Garrett Sheskey confirmed Colin's death in a letter to families on Friday.
"It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you of the tragic loss of one of our beloved students, Colin Strebe. He passed away on June 14th, 2023 due to an accident. This is a difficult time for our school community, and we extend our deepest sympathies to Colin’s family and friends," according to Sheskey.
Authorities have not ID'd the other victim in the crash. A fundraiser for Colin gives his age.
As TMJ4 News reported, two people died in a small plane crash in Watertown on Wednesday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
According to a news release from the Watertown Police Department, the plane crashed into Brandt Quirk Park at 800 Carriage Hill Drive. The FAA's website states there were two people killed in the incident.
When first responders arrived, police said, they were able to put out small fires around the crash site. The plane had taken off from Watertown Municipal Airport.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are leading the investigation into the crash.
The NTSB said the plane that crashed is "Mooney M20R."
Flight records reviewed by TMJ4 News show a "Mooney M20R" take off from Watertown on Wednesday morning. The plane was headed to a small airport in Northern Wisconsin, according to records.
Officials at Watertown Municipal Airport would not say who was on the plane, only that one of the passengers was a well-known regular, flying in and out of their small airport.
TMJ4 News tried to contact the plane's owner several times but wasn't able to reach anyone. Records name the owner of the plane, but it's uncertain who was flying. Police have not yet confirmed that and said they were working to notify family.
View the two announcements made to families below:
Dear Summit View Parent/Guardian,
It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you of the tragic loss of one of our beloved students, Colin Strebe. He
passed away on June 14th, 2023 due to an accident. This is a difficult time for our school community, and we
extend our deepest sympathies to Colin’s family and friends.
Colin was a valued member of our school community and will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Colin was
an exceptional student who brought so much joy, enthusiasm, and kindness to our school and will be fondly
remembered.
Our district will have a team of student services professionals trained to help with the needs of students, parents,
and school personnel at difficult times such as this. We will have student services staff available at Summit View
on Monday, June 19, 2023 from 8:00am - 3:00pm to support others during this difficult time.
If your child has more questions or you would like to support your child through continued conversations, I have
linked some additional resources for you to use in talking with kids about death or loss. We are saddened by the
loss to our school community and will make every effort to help you and your child as you need.
Explaining death to children
Grief in Children (Tools for educators/families)
Supporting your Child after the Death of a Family member or Friend
In addition, School District Of Waukesha has partnered with Care Solace to provide complimentary and
confidential support to students, staff and their families for our community’s mental health. Care Solace supports
others in finding community therapists or treatment programs matched to your needs regardless of circumstances.
If you would like to use Care Solace to help you find a provider: Call 888-515-0595. The service is available
24/7/365 in any language. You can also visit www.caresolace.com/sdw and either search on your own, or click
“Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.
Remember that grief affects individuals in different ways. Please keep Colin’s family and friends in your thoughts.
We stand together as a community in remembering Colin’s spirit, accomplishments, and the joy he brought to our
lives.
With heartfelt sympathy,
Mr. Sheskey,
Principal
gsheskey@waukesha.k12.wi.us
262-970-2605
The news of a student death can be a difficult and emotional time for the students and
staff of our community. In such cases, this district takes prompt action to establish an
open line of communication with the family to provide accurate information and respect
the family’s wishes. Upon confirmation of a death member, we organize a strong
support system for those in our school community.
The first step is to assemble a student services support team to support the school
community. All student services staff members are trained professionals to help with the
needs of students, parents and school personnel at such a difficult time. We then
establish the location and hours for the support being offered and ensure this is in all
communication moving forward.
On Monday, June 19, 2023, from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm at Summit View Elementary
School, our student services support team will be available to support students and staff
throughout the district during this difficult time as we mourn the loss of our student,
Collin Strebe.
In times of loss, we also share additional resources with families on how to support their
child(ren) after a death. One of the resources, Supporting Your Child after the Death of
a Family Member, by the Coalition to Support Grieving Students, states, “When
speaking with children about the death of a loved one, use the words “Dead” and/or
“Died.” Other expressions, such as “everlasting sleep” or “passed away” may confuse
children and make it hard for them to understand what has happened.”
Our students, their families, and the mental health of our staff are always a priority, so
we partner with Care Solace. Care Solace focuses on mental health and supports
others in finding community therapists or treatment programs matched to their needs
regardless of circumstances.
When there is a loss to our school community, it is a challenging time, but one where we
are truly Stronger Together.
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