New Braunfels, Texas – Faith Riemer remembers her Devyn Reiley as a dedicated pilot but an even more devoted friend.
“Her passion was unlike anyone else I’ve met,” Riemer said. “The second you met her, she specially brought up anything she was super passionate about.”
Reiley, 30, was one of the two people who died after a plane crashed into Lake Winnebago, near Oshkosh, on July 29.
Reiley last lived in New Braunfels with her husband, Hunter, and was the oldest of 13 siblings in the Collie family. The other victim was identified as Zachary Collie-Moreno, 20.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating what caused the crash.
In the meantime, friends and family are looking to turn Reiley’s legacy into an opportunity for the next generation in aviation.
“We can’t control the circumstances, but let’s make the best of the situation and try and continue,” Riemer said.
Riemer is one of the people who helped set up a scholarship fund in Reiley’s name. She said their goal is to use Reiley’s story to increase accessibility for future aviators.
“It’s hard. Everything’s getting more expensive, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stop chasing your goals and dreams,” Riemer said. “Hopefully, by having this scholarship, we can help people who have that passion and that spirit to help them go through and continue on with flight training and get to the same goal that Devyn wanted to one day.”
Just following Reiley’s death, Riemer designed patches and stickers for her friends and family to remember her by. She’s now selling these and putting the sales into the scholarship fund directly. The group is also accepting donations.
“The biggest thing is just keeping her spirit alive,” Riemer said. “Aviation isn’t cheap, unfortunately. So what better way than to honor her memory and her spirit and to try and pass it along to the next generation.”
The Commemorative Air Force Central Texas Wing set up a scholarship fund for Collie-Moreno. You can learn more about that by clicking here.