Malayali groom dies in air crash moments after departing wedding, while ‘devastated’ bride miraculously survives
A GEORGIA groom fretted about the fog before being tragically killed in a helicopter crash moments after leaving his own wedding — while his bride miraculously survived with only cuts and bruises.
Dave Fiji, 25, perished Friday night after the chopper departed from what family described as a “perfect wedding” in Dawsonville, where hundreds of guests had gathered to watch him marry his beloved fiancee, Jessni.
“We could say it was the perfect wedding,” Fiji’s father, George, told WSB-TV. “We couldn’t ask for anything more.”
The couple was set to leave the party by chopper around 9:30 p.m. to head to Atlanta to begin their honeymoon, but foggy weather delayed the flight after Fiji — also a pilot — expressed concern over the conditions.
“He said, ‘I wouldn’t fly, we would not fly in this visibility,’ ” his father said.
But the couple and pilot ended up deciding to fly anyways, with the chopper pilot reportedly planning to cruise to a higher altitude to avoid the fog.
Within minutes, the helicopter dropped out of the sky and crashed into a nearby wooded area.
Both Fiji and the helicopter pilot died — but Jessni woke to find herself trapped in the wreckage.
“She said when she woke up, she was under the rubble,” Fiji’s father said. “She woke up and saw him lying on her chest.
“She herself is a nurse. When she touched him, she called out to him. He was already cold,” he said.
Dave was a pilot himself and concerned about conditions but flew anyways. Facebook/Jaison Mathew
Jessni lay there for about five hours before rescuers made it to the wreck and were able to free her.
Incredibly, she suffered no broken bones — only severe bruises and cuts — and is expected to leave the hospital within days.
But the loss of her husband has left her “devastated,” family said.
“He was kind, he was gentle, he was selfless. Those were her words,” said Fiji’s mother, Pheba. “We have the confidence that God perfected the work that he started in his life.”
The couple was deeply religious and met 10 years ago at church.
“He was a precious child, he was a gift from God for us,” Fiji’s father said. “He was God-fearing child. So handsome, beautiful.”
Pheba said, “Both of them told us they could sense the presence of God at the altar, a tangible presence of God.
“There was a special glow and glory over his face that we couldn’t explain. And it was not just us who noticed.”
It remains unclear exactly how the wreck happened. The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into the accident.
Dave Fiji, a pilot with Delta Air Lines and son of Fiji George and Feba of Kaduvakuzhiyil, Muvattupuzha, who have been settled in Atlanta for several years.
Dave’s bride, Jesni Sam, is the daughter of Sam Umman and Sheela of Jeswin Villa, Edathua, Kuttanad.
Jesni’s family has been living in the US for the past two decades. Earlier this year, Jesni and members of the groom’s family had visited Kerala to purchase wedding attire and meet relatives ahead of the marriage.
Jesni’s family had also arranged a reception at Edathua on Sunday to celebrate the wedding. The event was postponed after news of the tragedy reached the village.
The helicopter involved in the crash was reportedly a wedding gift presented to Dave by his company, and the ill-fated helicopter was said to be on its first journey after the wedding.
