Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey is dealing with the deaths of four family members who died in a helicopter crash in Montana on Wednesday. The Republican candidate and his wife Cindy lost their son Zachary, his wife Kelsey, and their two young children in the accident.
According to Fox News, the people who died included 12-year-old Vada Rose and 7-year-old Samuel. The couple had a third child, Finn, who was not in the helicopter when it crashed and is still alive. Bailey shared the sad news through a post on X.
Bailey’s campaign put out a statement talking about how the family feels. “Darren and Cindy are heartbroken by this unimaginable loss. They are finding comfort in their faith, their family, and the prayers of so many who love and care for them,” the statement said. The campaign asked people to give the family space during this hard time.
Details About The Crash Are Still Pretty Limited
There is not much information about the helicopter crash right now. The National Transportation Safety Board said on Thursday that it is looking into a helicopter crash in Ekalaka, Montana. But officials have not said if this is the same crash that killed Bailey’s family members.
The small town of Ekalaka is in southeastern Montana. The NTSB looks into all civil aviation accidents in the United States. The agency has not shared any information about what might have caused the crash or what happened.
Bailey is running to take on Illinois Governor JB Pritzker in the next election. This is not the first time he has tried to become governor. Bailey was a state senator in Illinois before and ran for governor in 2022, but he lost to Pritzker in that race.
His 2022 campaign had a scary moment when a Chicago man threatened to kill him. Scott Lennox, who was 21 years old then, was charged with three serious crimes, including threatening a public official, telephone harassment, and harassment by electronic communications.
Reports say that Lennox left Bailey a voicemail threatening to “mutilate and kill” the Republican candidate. Chicago police said Lennox told them he made the threats, and Illinois State Police found out that he used his cell phone to make them.
The Bailey family has asked for privacy as they deal with this terrible loss. The campaign statement said that the family is getting support from their community and is thankful for the kindness people have shown them during this very hard time.
Published: Oct 23, 2025 06:30 pm