SPRINGFIELD — The son of Republican candidate for governor Darren Bailey, along with two of Bailey’s grandchildren and daughter-in-law, were killed in a helicopter crash in Montana, the former Illinois state senator’s campaign announced early Thursday.
“On Wednesday evening, Darren and his wife, Cindy, received the heartbreaking news no parent ever wants to hear. Their son, Zachary, his wife, Kelsey, and their two young children, Vada Rose, age 12, and Samuel, age 7, tragically lost their lives in a helicopter accident in Montana,” the campaign said on Facebook.
The accident comes just weeks after Bailey announced his plans to run for the GOP nomination for governor for a second time. Bailey was the Republican nominee for the office in 2022 before losing by about 13 percentage points to Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker.
Bailey’s running mate for lieutenant governor, Aaron Del Mar, told the Tribune that Bailey’s son was in Montana for a business event related to helicopters since his son uses them for his family’s farm business.
Bailey’s son was piloting the helicopter, which belonged to him, when the crash occurred, Del Mar said. He did not know the cause of the crash, and more details about it were not immediately available.
The helicopter was the same one Zach Bailey used to fly his father and Del Mar around in last month when the pair launched their campaign, Del Mar also said. On the day of that announcement, Sept. 25, Zach flew his father and Del Mar to Carterville in southern Illinois, then to Bloomington in central Illinois, and finally to the Chicago area, where the pair had an event in Oak Brook, Del Mar said.
Del Mar said Zach Bailey owned a helicopter business based in Flora, not far from his family’s farm in southeastern Illinois.
The crash occurred on Wednesday at 7:21 p.m. Mountain Time, and first responders were dispatched to the scene southwest of Ekalaka, Montana, a small town in the southeastern part of the state near where the state borders both North Dakota and South Dakota, said Georgia Bruski, emergency manager for Carter County and the county sheriff’s administrator.
Bruski said the Carter County sheriff’s office responded to the scene, as well as the Ekalaka Volunteer Fire Department and other emergency medical services personnel.
Bruski confirmed there were four fatalities but could not provide information about their identities or additional information about the crash itself.
The National Transportation Safety Board said in a post on X that it is investigating “the crash of a Robinson Helicopters R66 in Ekalaka, Montana,” but provided no other details.
“Darren and Cindy are heartbroken by this unimaginable loss,” the Bailey campaign said on Facebook. “They are finding comfort in their faith, their family and the prayers of so many who love and care for them. The Baileys deeply appreciate the kindness and support they have received and ask for privacy as they grieve and hold their loved ones close during this difficult time.”
Pritzker, who earlier on Thursday morning in a statement on X offered his condolences along with his wife, MK, said later Thursday at an unrelated news conference that they were devastated by the news of the Bailey family.
“I cannot imagine losing a child, losing two grandchildren, and what they must be going through. That’s all I can say,” said Pritzker, whose own young life was marked by the early deaths of his father and mother. “This is not a time for politics. This is a time to recognize that losing a child is one of the hardest things ever.”
This coming Monday marks the first day in Illinois of the weeklong filing period for candidates running for governor and other offices to qualify for the top ballot position in their race for the March 17 primary election. Del Mar said it’s the intention of Darren Bailey’s campaign to file its petitions, but Del Mar indicated he hasn’t discussed those details with Bailey.
“We’re concentrating on the family right now,” Del Mar said.
One of Bailey’s campaign rivals in the GOP primary field, Ted Dabrowski, who also announced his candidacy for governor last month, offered his sympathies to the Bailey family on X.
“On behalf of my entire team, I want to share how incredibly heartbroken I am to learn of the death of Darren and Cindy’s son, Zachary, daughter-in-law, Kelsey, and grandchildren Vada Rose and Samuel,” Dabrowski said. “This tragedy is unimaginable. Our entire team extends their condolences and any help to the Bailey family that may be of comfort at this terrible time.”
In a statement, the Illinois Republican Party said it’s “lifting up the Bailey family, their friends and community in prayer.”
“Please join us in keeping the Bailey family in our thoughts and prayers during this unimaginable time,” the state GOP said.
At an event at the City Club of Chicago, Democrat Rahm Emanuel, a former Chicago mayor and U.S. ambassador to Japan, asked the audience to “think about Darren Bailey.”
“It’s one of those things that you can’t prepare for. And I don’t want to say anything trite. Put him in your thoughts and prayers, take a moment to try to reach out. It’s got to be the lonesomest time for him and his family,” Emanuel said.
Tribune reporters Olivia Olander and Rick Pearson contributed.
