Groom killed and bride in hospital after horror helicopter crash just hours after 'perfect' wedding
Topics: Georgia
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: FOX 5 Atlanta via YouTube
Topics: Georgia
What what supposed to the happiest day of a young couple's lives ended in heartbreak after the groom tragically died in a helicopter crash.
25-year-old couple Dave and Jesni Fiji tied the knot in Georgia on Friday (May 29) surrounded by more than 400 guests.
Dave's father described the day as 'perfect', but sadly it didn't end that way.
Following their nuptials, Jesni and Dave boarded a Robinson R66 helicopter to travel to their honeymoon destination of Atlanta.
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They never made it to their final destination though as the aircraft crashed in a wooded area near Dawsonville.
Reportedly Dave (who was a pilot himself) expressed concerns about the weather conditions before taking flight, but the pilot – who has not been named – assured them that they were okay to fly.
Both Dave and the pilot died in the crash, while Jesni miraculously survived and went largely unscathed.
Jesni, a nurse, is said to have woken up from the crash with Dave rested on her. With her medical experience in mind, she new instantly that her new husband hadn't survived.
Following Friday night's tragedy, Dave's father, George, has spoke to Atlanta News First.
"Since my son was a pilot, he told the pilot that there is zero visibility and when there is zero visibility like this, we never fly," he said of the moments prior to them getting on the aircraft. George was a pilot for Delta Airlines.
With their concerns in mind, the pilot told George and Jesni they'd fly at a higher altitude.
The National Transportation Safety Board is reportedly investigating the crash and will decide if the weather was a contributing factor or not.
George also discussed what his daughter-in-law witnessed when she regained consciousness.
"She said when she woke up she saw my son Dave resting on her bosom," he said. "She saw blood on him, and by then his body was completely cold. She’s a nurse, so she knew he was gone."
Apparently Jesni suffered a few cuts but no broken bones and was taken to hospital.
"She’s devastated, but she’s recovering," he added.
Also speaking to WSB-TV, George said the day had been 'perfect' up until the crash.
Dave's mother, Pheba, added: "There was a special glow and glory over [Dave's] face that we couldn’t explain. And it was not just us who noticed."
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