Plane Crash Victims Touched Lives in Greenville

Friends struggle to find the words. The pain and the grief are indescribable. And the finality is one that will impact the Greenville community for a long time.

A plane crash cut short the lives of nine people from Greenville — two entire families — who friends described as leaders, hard workers, volunteers and wonderful friends. 

On Sunday, Melet and Kim Antonakos and their children, Ana, Mills and Olivia, along with Dr. Chris and Stacey McManus and their children Meghan and Connor, were killed when the small plane they were flying in crashed and burned at Soldotna, Alaska.

A vigil was held Tuesday night to remember the Antonakos family at Gower pool, where the children had been members of the community's swim team.

Despite rain and thunder and lightning, hundreds gathered at the Gower pool to pay their respects, with many setting lighted votives in the pool in honor of the Antonakos family. Afterwards, many huddled in groups to hug, cry and console each other over the loss of a family whose lives touched many.

"I've just known Kim and Melet, it feels, like my whole life, just living in Gower and our kids attending the same schools," said Kim Geddie, who helped organize the Gower vigil with Judy Erickson.

"It's devastating. It's a devastating loss for our community," Geddie said. "They were the nicest people you would have ever met. I feel sorry for anybody who did not know them. They will be sorely missed and I just thank everybody in Greenville who's been so kind to us and reached out to us at this time."

The Antonakos family, residents of Gower Estates, were highly active in the pool's competitive swim program. Former Gower head coach Jay Crout said it was significant that the loss of the Antonakos family came at the height of the competitive swim season, known as Red Division Week.

"They continued the spirit of Gower every single year," said Crout, who coached Mills and Olivia Antonakos from 2007 to 2008. "As parents they were bent on volunteering their time. The kids jumped on board and were here every single practice, had fun, were passionate about things. Their continuance of what Gower was was an extremely important aspect of their life. They have affected so many of us — that's why everybody is here tonight.

"What they've done here at Gower, what they've done for the team at Gower, will live on," Crout told the crowd. "That's not something that ever goes away. As we begin this time of remembering them, even our continuing Gower's spirit, our dealing with adversity, our ability to come together as a group, is actually continuing what they brought to this team."

When Crout became head coach he said a major emphasis was to get the younger moms involved in the swim team, "and Kimberly took that bull by the horns and just really went after it," Crout told Patch. 

"She was a rock when I was here," he said. "She was an integral part of that group of kids, her son Mills's group, her daughter Olivia's… those two groups became as tight knit as they are in large part because of her and what she did and how she brought those families together. She really was a centerpiece of that part of the Gower community and the Gower family. And that just continued to grow after I left."

Joel Norwood said that for nine years he lived just one house away from the Antonakos family on Montrose Drive. He said there was so much to say about his neighbors and friends.

Norwood described each of the family members starting with the youngest, Ana.

“She was a beautiful child, the epitome of cute,” Norwood said. “She always had a bow in her hair. She was a feisty athlete and competitor. She was so tough on the basketball court, even with a bow in her hair.”

Norwood said that Ana had just finished Sara Collins Elementary School where she was on the All-A Honor Roll.

Norwood said that Mills was small in stature, but big in heart.

“He was one of the sweetest and most polite boys I’ve ever been around,” he said. “He never met a stranger. He was always the first to introduce himself to someone new.” 

Norwood said that Mills was a great athlete and had been elected student body president at Beck Academy.

Olivia, a rising junior at J.L. Mann, was a great student and athlete, Norwood said. 

“She was great in soccer and basketball and excelled in the classroom,” Norwood said. “She was No. 1 in her class at J.L. Mann.”

Norwood said that the children’s attributes were a direct correlation to their parents. They were hardworking, devoted, focused, studious people and that they stressed that at home.

“Melet was a hardworking man,” Norwood said. “He had to earn it, nothing was given to him. He was a good provider, a good husband, father and friend.” 

Norwood said Melet’s Greek heritage helped him “light up a room.”

“He was full of energy and passion,” he said. “His body language, his words, he was a salesman and he could light up a room.”

But there was the loving, protective dad, too. “He wanted to make sure that he chaperoned at parties, that he was the driver for the caravan,” Norwood said. “He wanted them to be physically safe at all times. He was the same when my children were with him.”

He described Kim as a devoted mother and friend, who balanced Melet.

“It’s ironic in a way,” Norwood said. “In a situation like this, Kim, unlike us, would know what to do. She would take care of everything. She was that person who was always first to offer help.”

Norwood said it was always Kim, who if someone had died or plans needed to be made, would come and say, “ ‘I’ll take care of your kids, do what you need to do.’"

Norwood said it has been hard to talk to his own children, when he too is still trying to understand the finality.

“These were active people, active in the community, in the church and in the schools,” Norwood said. “They were parents raising people who would one day be future leaders and volunteers for this area. We lost a very valuable asset when they lost their lives.”

J.L. Mann Coach Darah Huffman said she is trying to deal with the grief herself and worries about her team, as they lost a fearless leader in Olivia Antonakos.

“She always had this big beautiful smile,” Huffman said. “She was the perfect student — No. 1 in her class, leader on the team, her teammates loved her.”

Huffman said Olivia cared more about everyone else than she did about herself. She said she could always count on her to give 110 percent on the court.

She said that she hopes to honor Olivia this season, but that she needs to talk to her team about what they might do.

Huffman said most of the women’s basketball team is competing in an AAU tournament in Florida. She’s glad the team is together, but she can’t wait to see all of them when they return. 

Huffman said that while she had only coached Olivia for the past two years, she had known her and her family much longer.

“She was a fantastic person and what a great family,” Huffman said. “Her mother was very supportive. She worked with PTSA, the booster club, and was very hands on. Her dad and her brother and sister were at every game. They were proud of their big sister.” 

Harrison McLeod, the Rector of Christ Church Episcopal, knew both the Antonakos and McManus families. He said the last days have been difficult in the life of his parish.

“Delightful. Vibrant. Engaging. Alive. Committed to the church, their faith and each other.” That’s the way McLeod describes the two families. 

He said that both families were “picture perfect.” 

“Melet and his family sat on the same pew every Sunday morning,” McLeod said. 

McLeod said it was much like the way they engaged with the church, they were always there. He said the children were involved in activities in the church and Melet and Kim were always volunteering to help with those programs. Service to the church was important, McLeod said, even to the children who served as acolytes.

McLeod said the McManus family was incredible as volunteers and a great resource for Bible school and classes for children. The children often served as acolytes and Stacy was a member of the church’s hand bell choir for more than 15 years.

“Their smiles radiated out,” McLeod said. “You couldn’t help but smile back.”

McLeod said that one thing that strikes him now about these two families was their impact on the 4,000 people in their parish.

 “Everyone seemed to know them. Everyone seemed to like them. Everyone seemed to have been touched by their lives,” McLeod said.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.