Groom Tragically Dies in Helicopter Crash Moments After Wedding as Bride Miraculously Survives

A Georgia woman’s wedding day turned into a nightmare after a helicopter crash claimed the life of her new husband shortly after their wedding celebrations.

Dave Fiji, 25, died Friday night when a helicopter carrying him, his bride Jessni, and the pilot crashed shortly after departing from their wedding venue in Dawsonville, Georgia, Fox5 reported on June 1. The pilot was also killed in the accident.

Family members described the ceremony as a dream wedding. Hundreds of guests gathered to watch the couple exchange vows before they planned to leave for their honeymoon in Atlanta.

“We could say it was the perfect wedding,” Dave’s father, George Fiji, told WSB-TV. “We couldn’t ask for anything more.”

According to George, his son, who was also a pilot, expressed concerns about the weather before takeoff. “He said, ‘I wouldn’t fly, we would not fly in this visibility,’ ” George recalled.

The flight was delayed because of fog, but the couple and the pilot eventually decided to continue their journey. Family members said the pilot planned to climb above the fog shortly after takeoff. Tragically, the helicopter crashed into a wooded area just minutes later.

Jessni survived but woke up trapped beneath the wreckage. “She said when she woke up, she was under the rubble,” George said. “She woke up and saw him lying on her chest.”

Jessni, a nurse, immediately checked on her husband. “She herself is a nurse. When she touched him, she called out to him. He was already cold,” George told WSB-TV.

Rescuers reached the crash site about five hours later and freed her from the wreckage. Despite the severity of the crash, Jessni suffered only cuts and bruises and is expected to recover physically.

The couple met at church a decade ago and shared a deep faith, according to family members.

“He was a precious child, he was a gift from God for us,” George shared with the outlet. “He was a God-fearing child. So handsome, beautiful.”

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.