PHOENIX — Valerie Stutterheim is an extraordinary soul, her family said.
"She likes to live simply and enjoys the simple pleasures in life. She has taught us, her parents, so much about living a good and peaceful life," her parents said on a GoFundMe campaign set up for Stutterheim after the hot air balloon she was in crashed in Eloy, leaving her with extensive injuries.
>>Editor's Note: The above video is from a previous broadcast.
Stutterheim was with her friend, Atahan Kiliccote, when they boarded a hot air balloon in Eloy on Jan. 14 just before sunrise. There were 13 people total, including eight skydivers. About 35 minutes into the flight, the skydivers jumped from the basket as planned, an NTSB report said.
The four passengers, including Stutterheim, and the pilot remained in the basket.
"Shortly thereafter, something catastrophic happened with the balloon causing it to crash to the ground,” said Eloy Police Chief Byron Gwaltney.
Witnesses reported seeing the balloon descending to the ground with the envelope deflated above it, according to the report.
The basket landed upright, according to the NTSB. One person was pronounced dead at the scene and three others died at a nearby hospital, police said. Stutterheim was rushed to a hospital in critical condition.
Kiliccote did not survive.
Stutterheim's family said her injuries include several broken bones and a traumatic brain injury.
"She currently cannot speak to us. What we do know is that Valerie has a very long road of rehabilitation and care ahead," the Stutterheims said on the GoFundMe page. The family is asking for support for the long road of recovery she has ahead of her.
"Those of you that know her know that Valerie would be the one helping others and the last one to accept help for herself. She is so independent and strong-willed," the family wrote. "But this horrible situation is one where Valerie will need all the help she can get."
If you would like to help, click here.
Victims included a nurse, mechanic, engineer, and pilot
The Eloy Police Department identified the victims as Chayton Wiescholek, 28, from Michigan; Kaitlynn Bartrom, 28, from Indiana; Atahan Kiliccote, 24, from California; and the pilot Cornelius Van Der Walt, 37, originally from South Africa, who lived in Eloy.
"He was in the balloon just supporting [his girlfriend] because he wanted to be with her and do the stuff she wanted to do," Chayton Wiescholek's mother, Rhonda Wiescholek told 12News. "His girlfriend was one of the skydivers."
Wiescholek said it was her son's girlfriend who called her and told her about the crash, minutes after it happened.
"She just said that his balloon went down and crashed, and I needed to get down here," Rhonda Wiescholek said. "That's where I stopped her. I hung up and was finding a way to get to Arizona."
The mother said her son loved the outdoors, camping, and trying new things. He was a mechanic at a dry-ice manufacturer in Albion, Michigan. But he also enjoyed DJ'ing at weddings, dances, and schools part-time.
"He was just on vacation for a few days, they wanted to come out and just enjoy the weather," Rhonda Wiescholek said.
The family of Kaitlynn Bartrom, 28, told 12News she loved adventure and had recently become a registered nurse.
Atahan Kiliccote of California also died in the crash. He was a graduate engineer working in Chicago.
Authorities identified the pilot of the balloon as Cornelius Van Der Walt. He is the owner of Droplyne, the company behind the ride that turned deadly.
The company was formed in 2017 and operates daily rides in Eloy-- during the winter months-- and in Moab, Utah-- in the summer, according to the company's website.
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