Reba McEntire, a Genuine Country Icon, Captivated Fans Since Her Late 1970s Stage Debut, Garnering Millions of Admirers. Over the Years, She Embraced Marriage Twice and Welcomed a Son, Shelby, Into Her Life.
Yet, Beneath Her Enormous Success and Radiant Smile, Reba’s Life Bears Heartaches. In 2022, She Grieved the Loss of Her Beloved Mother Jacqueline to Cancer, an Especially Profound Loss Given Their Deep Mother-Daughter Bond. Reba shared, ‘She led a rich, vibrant life and was more than prepared to meet her Maker. We credit God for choosing the moment for her to return to Him,’ in a heartfelt social media post.
In her youth, Jacqueline harbored aspirations of becoming a singer herself. Though her own dream didn’t materialize, she passed on her knowledge and love for singing to her daughter. Reba reflected, ‘She departed knowing the depth of our affection, and we’re well aware of the love she held for us. Her absence will be deeply felt, but the treasure trove of memories remains.’
Regrettably, this wasn’t the first instance of heartbreak in Reba’s life. 32 years ago, on March 16, tragedy struck as seven members of her band, along with her manager, lost their lives in a devastating plane crash.
“On that fateful day in 1991, the band had a concert scheduled in San Diego and were en route to Fort Wayne, Indiana, for their next tour performance. Reba and her then-husband had originally planned to travel on a different plane, but a last-minute decision led them to remain in San Diego for the night. Tragically, the band’s aircraft crashed just ten miles after takeoff.”
Even though more than three decades have passed since the heartbreaking incident, Reba continues to honor the memory of her bandmates.
In 2012, Reba shared her recollections of the tragedy in an interview with Oprah. She explained, ‘The airplane’s wing tip struck a rock on the side of Otay Mountain, resulting in the loss of everyone aboard the plane.’
“When we were notified, Narvel (Reba’s manager) went and met with our pilot, and he told us what had happened. And Narvel came back to the hotel room where I was — it was two or three o’clock in the morning — and he said one of the planes had crashed, and I said, ‘Are they OK?’ He said, ‘I don’t think so.’ I said, ‘But you’re not sure?’ He said, ‘I don’t think so.’”
As she recalled the tragic day, Reba couldn’t contain tears from running down her face.
“Narvel was going room to room with a phone and calling …” she began, pausing as tears came to her eyes. “I’m sorry — it’s been 20 years, but it’s just like — I don’t guess it ever quits hurting,” she said. “But I can see that room. I can see Narvel walking back and forth.”
In 2020, the singer paid tribute to those who were killed in the crash. “29 years ago today, I lost my friends in a plane crash. The timing of Mama’s passing with that anniversary seems appropriate,” she posted on the social media.
“I know they’re all in Heaven together and taking care of each other. Let’s keep finding ways to take care of each other down here on earth and never take one moment with our loved ones for granted.”
Her fans were quick to post messages of support. “Reba I’ve always loved your music, our shared horse background, and now following y
This year wasn’t any different. Reba couldn’t help by share with the world that besides the number of years that have passed, she’s still saddened for her friends’ fate and their tragic loss.
”Their love for music and the stage gives us all the strength to go on,” she wrote along with a video of one of their performances together as a band.
