He Loved to Fly: Widow of One of the B-52 Victims Speaks After the Tragedy
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
The wife of one of the eight people who died aboard a B-52 bomber that crashed on Monday at Edwards Air Force Base spoke for the first time about the tragedy that changed her family's life. According to family members, Jeromy Smith, an aerospace civil engineer, had been working at the military base in California for a decade. Lauren Smith spoke with Telemundo 52 while surrounded by family after learning of the accident. She said she initially found out through social media, where she recognized the massive plane her husband was on. Inconsolable and still in disbelief, Lauren recounted the impact of knowing that Jeromy was one of the eight crew members aboard the B-52 that crashed in the Mojave Desert. 'He loved what he did, he loved to fly, and he died doing what he loved most,' she expressed. Jeromy leaves behind two young children, one aged 2 and another just 4 months old. 'I am very sad that he won’t be able to see them grow; I hope he can be proud by raising them to be wonderful human beings like him,' Lauren said. Originally from Oregon, Jeromy had been serving as an aerospace civil engineer at Edwards Air Force Base for a decade. His wife recalled that on Monday morning, he said goodbye to her like any other day. 'He gave the baby his bottle when he woke up, kissed me, and said goodbye as usual, but this time he didn’t come back home,' Lauren said. Lauren recounted that Air Force officials arrived at their home on Monday afternoon to officially notify her of her husband's death. They also informed her that the investigation into the causes of the accident could take up to six months. However, Lauren stated that her husband had mentioned that the B-52 test had been postponed. She explained that the operation was scheduled for the previous week. 'They told him something was wrong and they had to fix it between Friday and Monday,' Lauren noted. After the accident, Lauren's sister started a fundraising campaign on social media to financially support the family, as Jeromy was the primary breadwinner. Lauren thanked the community for their expressions of solidarity. She explained that she works as a teacher and that her income is not enough to cover funeral expenses. Now, she said, her biggest concern is that her children will grow up without their father. 'To play with them, read to them, and give them a loving paternal hug,' she said. 'The accident turned our world upside down.' The couple had just celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary the previous week. Lauren urged the public to cherish every moment with their loved ones. She remembered her husband as a man passionate about his work and deeply committed to his country. Her husband, she asserted, loved the United States and considered it a hero.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
