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Bay Area men killed in Solano County plane crash were close friends, grieving families say they lived life to the fullest
Thirty-three-year-old Jesse Buckner and 41-year-old Ben Shreve were close friends with a lot in common. They both grew up in the East Bay, both married their high school sweethearts, and both shared a passion for flying.
RIO VISTA, Calif. - Thirty-three-year-old Jesse Buckner and 41-year-old Ben Shreve were close friends with a lot in common. They both grew up in the East Bay, both married their high school sweethearts, and both shared a passion for flying.
They were together Thursday when the single-engine Steen Skybolt plane they were in crashed near Rio Vista in Solano County, killing them both.
"These were good men who always promised to be home for dinner. They didn’t take any chances with their lives," said Victoria Raine, Jesse’s sister-in-law.
Both men leave behind devastated families who spoke with KTVU about this tragic loss, and also how these friends lived life to the fullest.
Victoria called Jesse an amazing father and a friend to so many. He grew up in Martinez and was living in Benicia with his wife and two kids.
Victoria said, "His kids are very young. He lost his dad at the same age they are now. So it’s history repeating itself which is very difficult."
Victoria said Jesse had been flying since he was a teenager. He spent several years in the Air Force and was a certified flight instructor and mechanic.
"Being in the sky is what he loved. We all flew with him at some point in his career," said Victoria.
In a Facebook post, Jesse’s wife Jessica wrote, "The love we shared was like no other. It was a once-in-a-lifetime fairytale love story. It has been a wild ride, and I'm so blessed we had 17 years together."
Dean Shreve is the older brother of Ben Shreve and said Ben wanted to be a pilot since he was a kid.
"He was the best version of a person. He was just so amazing," said Dean.
Dean said Ben lived in Concord most of his life and was an experienced pilot who managed several airplanes out of the Concord airport.
"He was just such an amazing pilot, so it’s hard to believe this happened to him," said Dean.
Dean said Ben and a couple of pilot friends, including Jesse, bought the Steen Skybolt plane and had flown it many times.
"It was just a fun aircraft to fly," said Dean.
Dean said the two men were flying home from Sacramento when the plane went down. He said it has been comforting hearing stories about his brother from friends all over the world.
While they wait for answers from the FAA, Dean said the blow has been especially hard for Ben’s wife, Rebeca, his 2-year-old daughter Izzy and 8-year-old son Mason.
"Izzy is just asking for her dad all the time. And with Mason, it’s the hardest thing to watch. Ben was his hero," said Dean.
Both families have set up GoFundMe accounts to help with funeral costs, future expenses for the children, and other basic needs.
You can find them here: