LOUISVILLE, KY — The community of Louisville, Kentucky, remains in mourning after a devastating cargo jet crash south of Louisville’s international airport on November 4, 2025, which claimed the lives of 14 individuals and left more than a dozen others injured. A week after the incident, families received the heartbreaking confirmation from the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office about the loss of their loved ones.
Identifying the Victims
Among the victims, Angie Anderson, 45, was identified on November 11. Anderson, who would have turned 46 on November 23, was a skilled home remodeler and had just left work that day to deliver scrap metal from a jobsite to Grade A, one of the businesses struck by the ill-fated cargo jet. Her sister, Jessica Rusch, shared with WHAS11 that the family spent the past week in “limbo” waiting for confirmation. Rusch said, “Until you see it in black and white, it’s not real to you.”
Anderson leaves behind four grown children, a son, and three daughters, who are now grappling with the loss of their mother.
A Community Grieves Together
In addition to Anderson’s family, the family of Trinadette “Trina” Chavez also awaited news of her fate. Chavez worked at Grade A and was dearly loved by her coworkers. Her family expressed their devastation, saying, “We’re lost without her.” The overwhelming grief shared by the victims’ families is compounded by the uncertainty they endured in the days after the crash.
The Emotional Toll on Families and First Responders
The emotional toll of delivering such devastating news was not lost on Jefferson County Coroner Jo-Ann Farmer. Reflecting on the pain she witnessed, Farmer said, “I had a family member ask me yesterday, ‘how do you ever get used to this?’ I don’t. If I ever get used to this, and it doesn’t bother me anymore, I’m in the wrong profession, I need to move on to something else.”
Louisville’s Call for Remembrance
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg expressed the weight of the tragedy, stating, “Behind every name is a circle of family and friends. Stories that will forever be unfinished.” He continued, “I’ve heard it said that everyone dies twice. Once when you take your last breath, and again when your name is spoken for the last time. So as we hear these names today, let’s never forget their lives. Their laughter. Their love.”
The Enduring Grief
As the families begin to process their sorrow, Farmer offered a poignant reflection on grief, saying, “The grief will lighten a little bit as time goes on. But the price of love is grief.”
A Community United in Tragedy
The crash that devastated so many families also brought the Louisville community together. As each victim’s name is spoken, their legacy—full of love, laughter, and memories—will endure. The city stands united in honoring the lives lost and supporting those who remain.
This story may be updated with more information as it becomes available.
