SHOW LOW, Ariz — The news came as a gut punch to Larry Johnson.
"There’s a hundred things that were racing through my mind at that time," he said.
Two of his best friends, 35-year-old Cody Rosania and 40-year-old Rayne Rush were involved in a plane crash Thursday morning in Alaska.
A 52-year-old Fairbanks, Alaska, man identified as Shane Bennett was also killed in the crash.
According to Alaska State Troopers, a Piper Supercub and a Cessna 185 collided above the airstrip just before 2 p.m. Thursday. Both planes crashed into the ground on the gravel runway and the Cessna 185 burst into flames on impact.
Rosania and Rush were both passengers in the Cessna 185. Neither were piloting the aircraft.
Rosania did not survive.
"Cody was one of the most generous, kindest-hearted persons I ever met in my entire life," Johnson said.
But Rush was pulled from the wreckage and airlifted to Seattle, where he’s still in the hospital, and likely will be for several weeks.
"Rayne may be the toughest man that I know," Johnson said. "And if there’s anybody that’s going to get through it. It will be him."
Johnson, Rush and Rosania all ran a guide service together in Arizona. They’re all avid outdoorsmen from Show Low and have been friends for nearly 20 years. Johnson said it's about the camaraderie and spending time outdoors.
"We’ve done a lot of adventures together," he said. "All across the country."
Which is why Cody and Rayne were in Alaska, a hunting trip cut short.
"The best thing to do, just keep them in your prayers," Johnson said.
Johnson says he's been in close contact with his best friends' families and the heartache is still sinking in.
"Those guys were just out doing what we love to do," he said.
He said they're still waiting on word from authorities to figure out exactly how and why the planes crashed.
