Celebration For Air Crash Survivor

By Bill Johnson Published May 26, 2003 07:00 am Updated Jan 31, 2009 04:45 pm

Friends held a Celebration of Life in honor of Dean Hollingsworth Saturday at the San Andreas Firehouse.

Hollingsworth was the sole survivor of a plane crash on Nov. 13, 2001 that claimed the lives of pilot Henry Taylor Howard and his stepson Bryan Files. The Beechcraft A36TC they were aboard crashed shortly after taking off from the Calaveras County Airport.

Hollingsworth was airlifted from the scene to a Modesto hospital with a shattered left leg, several broken ribs and a fractured spine. He has been recovering at his Mokelumne Hill home and because he is not working, the family has faced tough financial times.

“We just want to do something to help them out,” said Nikki Stevens.

There was a gift box for Dean and his wife, Jaime and their young son and daughter. The event was a potluck and featured a dessert auction.

Calaveras Enterprise story