max.bowen@northstarreporter.com
One of the victims of the tragic aircraft disaster was a former teacher in North Attleborough.
Chris Collins, a native of North Dighton, was among the 67 people who died in the crash on Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
Collins taught world geography from 2004-2010 at the North Attleborough Public Schools. Starting in 2014, he worked for Moody’s Investor’s Services and was a senior analyst. He lived in Stamford, Connecticut, with his wife Jen.
In a statement from Moody’s, the company “mourns the loss of two of our best, Chris Collins and Melissa Nicandri, who tragically lost their lives on American Airlines Flight 5342. Chris and Melissa were cherished colleagues who embodied our values and enriched our lives with kindness and warmth. They leave an immeasurable void in our community, and our hearts go out to their families, friends and colleagues, as well as all those grieving from this terrible tragedy.”
According to information provided by the U.S. Army, a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crashed at approximately 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 29, while performing a training mission near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. There was a three-person crew on board the helicopter.
The UH-60 helicopter from the 12th Aviation Battalion, Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, collided in midair with an American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet Flight 5342 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The FAA, NTSB and the United States Army are investigating.
In a statement from the family, Collins was described as having a passion for the outdoors and a love of animals.
“His talent as a financial professional brought him to New York City, where he fell in love with a city girl, his cherished wife Jen,” the statement read. “While Jen and Chris built a joy-filled city life together, Chris’ call to the outdoors never wavered, whether it was hiking Lögberg in Iceland, camping and rafting in the Great Smoky Mountains, skiing and snowboarding, and most of all, enjoying the coastal outdoor landscape of Brewster and the rest of Cape Cod.”
Collins grew up in North Dighton with his parents and brother Matt, the statement read. He had a love of dogs in his early years that grew over the years.
“His frequent walks with the dogs at Lucky Dog Refuge in Stamford, Connecticut brought him tremendous joy,” the statement read. “Chris’ kindness and compassion extended to everyone, whether you were a family member, friend, or one of the many strangers he connected with during his outdoor adventures. He will be in our hearts forever.”
