In 1991, Reba McEntire faced an unimaginable tragedy when a plane crash claimed the lives of her tour manager and seven band members. Following a performance in San Diego, the band took a flight to their next concert in Indiana, leaving Reba, her then-husband Narvel Blackstock, and her stylist Sandi Spika behind. The first plane crashed, striking a boulder on the edge of Otay Mountain, while the second plane reached its destination safely. Reba learned of the crash when Narvel returned to their hotel room late at night.
Reba described her pain in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, saying, “It’s been 20 years, but the sorrow never really goes away.” Her close friends, including Vince Gill and Dolly Parton, offered to let their bands finish the tour, but Reba declined. Instead, she channeled her grief into her album “For My Broken Heart” as a tribute to her lost bandmates.
Every year, Reba remembers the tragic anniversary on social media, and in 2016, she made a pilgrimage to San Diego to visit the crash site and pay her respects. She believes that those who have passed on know how much they are missed.
