On Sunday, divers in the Gulf of Mexico recovered the body of 49-year-old Julia Kelly, one of three people who died when a Cessna 206 plunged into the ocean when a late-night flight to view the lights of the coast ended tragically shortly after midnight Saturday.
The bodies of Kelly and the plane’s pilot, Frank Gonzalez of Plant City, Fla., were recovered in the fuselage about 3 miles off the coast of Cedar Key, Fla., a fishing and resort community located about 100 miles northwest of the Tampa Bay area.
The body of another passenger, John Borchard of Harbour Island, Fla., was located away from the wreckage, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
Julia Kelly, who moved from Indiana to Solon, Iowa, last fall to be able to watch her son play for the Hawkeyes, had spent the week vacationing in Florida with Jake Kelly, her younger son, Luke, and a sister who lives in that area, Amy Davidson.
“It was the best week she’d had in a long, long time. It was just such a blessing,’’ Davidson told the St. Petersburg Times.
Iowa coach Todd Lickliter has spoken with Kelly and his father since the accident and issued a statement Monday extending sympathy to Kelly and his family.
“I was shocked and saddened by the news of Julia Kelly’s death. Our entire basketball program is deeply saddened by this tragic loss. Our prayers are with Jake and his family,’’ Lickliter said.
Kelly started in the Hawkeyes’ final 25 games last season. The 6-foot-6 guard from Carmel, Ind., averaged 7.3 points and 1.9 rebounds for Iowa, including averaging 12.8 points over the Hawkeyes’ final seven games.
Steve Batterson can be contacted at (563) 383-2290 or sbatterson@qctimes.com.
