OXFORD, Miss — Six Mississippians died in a plane crash traveling from Kissimmee, Florida to Oxford, Mississippi Sunday morning.
Sources confirm with HottyToddy.com that Dr. Jason Farese, and his wife Dr. Lea Farese, Dr. Michael Perry and his wife Kim Perry and Dr. Austin Poole and his wife Angie Poole died in the crash that happened around 11:20 a.m. near the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport in Alabama.
Eleven children between the three couples are left behind without their parents.
As previously reported by HottyToddy.com the couples were returning from a continuing education seminar when the pilot issued a distress call.
According to the Tuscaloosa News, Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue crews were stationed at the airport awaiting an emergency landing attempt, but the plane crashed in the woods about 1,000 feet from the runway.
Northport Mayor Bobby Herndon maintains firefighters arrived at the crash site within three minutes but were unable to save the victims.
“They did everything they could,” Herndon said.
Friend and colleague C. Hayden Perkins, DMD of Oxford-based Children’s Dental Center, said he visited with the children of the Perrys.
“It’s a terrible tragedy,” Perkins said.
Drs. Jason and Lea Farese were both dentists at Farese Family Dental in Oxford. A native of Ashland, Mississippi, Dr. Farese graduated from Vanderbilt University. He obtained his dental degree from the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry.
Dr. Lea Farese also graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry with her dental degree in 2004. She is a native of Pearl, Mississippi and is a 1998 graduate of Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi. Lea was raised in Pearl.
The Fareses leave behind three children.
Dr. Perry, of MidSouth Dental Implants & Periodontics, received his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry. He did post doctorate training at Baylor College of Dentistry, and received his Masters of Science degree in 2002. Dr. Perry has five dental practices located in Memphis, Collierville, Bartlett, Oxford, and Southaven. He was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity.
From Brandon, Mississippi – Kim studied nursing at the University of Mississippi and worked as a Nurse Practitioner at the University of Mississippi.
The Perrys are survived by their three children.
Dr. Poole and his wife Angie live in Oxford’s Wellsgate community, but his dental practice Dr. Austin Poole Dentistry is in Clarksdale. Both were active in the Clarksdale community.
The Pooles are survived by their five children.
None of the children were on board the aircraft.
Jason P. Farese is the registered agent of the plane under Oxford University Aircraft Charters LLC.
From all of us at HottyToddy.com, we extend our thoughts and prayers.
Russ Jones is the Editor-In-Chief for HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at russ.jones@hottytoddy.com.
