The businessman who flew into house final month alongside William Shatner aboard the Blue Origin rocket died in a small aircraft crash Thursday, police stated.
Glen de Vries, 49, co-founder of Medidata Options, was taking flying classes with Thomas Fischer, 54, of Fischer Aviation, when their aircraft crashed in Sussex County, New Jersey at 3 p.m.
Each males died within the crash, the New Jersey State Police Division stated.
The reason for the crash is unknown and it is also unclear which of the 2 males was piloting the aircraft when it crashed.
De Vries’ loss of life comes a month after he paid to board Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket with Shatner, Australian entrepreneur Chris Boshuizen and Blue Origin government Audrey Powers.
He had referred to as the expertise ‘a dream come true.’
Blue Origin tweeted, ‘We’re devastated to listen to of the sudden passing of Glen de Vries. He introduced a lot life and vitality to your complete Blue Origin workforce and to his fellow crewmates. His ardour for aviation, his charitable work, and his dedication to his craft will lengthy be revered and admired.’
Glen de Vries, 49, co-founder of Medidata Options died in a small aircraft crash on Friday
The one-engine aircraft crashed in Sussex, New Jersey
De Vries, left, went to house with (L-R) William Shatner, Blue Origin government Audrey Powers and Australian entrepreneur Chris Boshuizen
The 4 house vacationers boarded the Blue Origins rocket on October 13
De Vries referred to as going as much as house with the Star Trek star ‘a dream come true’
Blue Origins tweeted in condolences for de Vries’ loss of life
De Vries was with Thomas Fischer of Fischer Aviation. Fischer teaches pilot programs within the New Jersey-based college
De Vries, a molecular biologist, and New York College and Carnegie Mellon graduate, made his wealth via Medidata Options, which facilitates probably the most used scientific analysis platform on this planet, CBS reported.
The corporate’s software program has managed greater than 25,000 scientific trials involving greater than seven million folks. Medidata was acquired by Dassault Techniques in 1999 for $5.8 billion.
His spouse, Maria, informed the Every day Beast, ‘I might simply say that Glen was a tremendous man, bigger than life. He at all times appeared like a superhero to me, so good, so gifted, beneficiant and actually humorous. An enormous mild has gone out on this planet.’
His father, Alan, stated, ‘He was one of the crucial superb human beings you possibly can’ve ever met. He gave a lot to so many individuals, and on account of his work, in all probability tens of millions of lives have been saved.
‘We’re simply devastated. I am nonetheless completely in a state of shock—myself and his mom’s household and my daughter, we’re simply all nonetheless in a state of shock. He lived life to the fullest, and I feel he gave to the fullest. It is simply who he was.’
Dassault Systèmes stated in a press release Friday, ‘Our deepest sympathy additionally goes out to our MEDIDATA workforce, which Glen co-founded. His tireless vitality, empathy and pioneering spirit left their mark on everybody who knew him,’ ‘We are going to really miss Glen, however his desires — which we share — stay on: we’ll pursue progress in life sciences & healthcare as passionately as he did.’
De Vries loved flying planes in his spare time, and had been attending Fischer Aviation’s pilot coaching programs since 2016, the New Jersey Herald reported.
De Vries flew planes in his spare time. He’s pictured after a flight final week
Fischer Aviation didn’t instantly reply to DailyMail.com’s request for remark.
De Vries and Fischer’s aircraft had gone lacking close to Kemah Lake, New Jersey
The 2 males have been flying in a single-engine Cessna 172 aircraft, just like the one pictured above
De Vries captured the nations consideration as he joined the second Blue Origins house crew in October
De Vries, laughing within the again, frolicked with Jeff Bezos, within the drivers seat, because the crew of the New Shepard NS-18 ready to fly on October 21
The Federal Aviation Administration alerted police that De Vries and Fischer’s single-engine Cessna 172 aircraft was lacking at round 3 p.m. on Friday close to Kemah Lake, New Jersey.
First responders discovered the wreckage lower than an hour later.
Police stated the single-engine aircraft was on its option to Sussex Airport from Essex County Airport, in Caldwell, when it crashed.
The plane was destroyed within the crash, which occurred ‘below unknown circumstances,’ the FAA stated.
In a press release, the FAA added {that a} preliminary report on why the aircraft might have crashed could be launched by subsequent week.
After de Vries touched down following the house flight final month, he stated the crew ‘had a second of camaraderie’ after they reached house – Blue Origin has not disclosed the value of the ticket.
‘We really simply put our fingers collectively,’ he stated.
Powers chimed in saying: ‘We wished to memorialize being collectively, there.’
‘After which we loved the view as a lot as we will,’ de Vries stated in response.