Collier County community mourns man killed in plane crash

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. —

A community in Collier County gathered to remember Ryan Cody, who was killed in a plane crash near the Ten Thousand Islands and Everglades City on Sunday.

Cody was a passenger in the plane when it went down, and deputies reported that the person who called 911 pulled him from the water and attempted to save his life. Despite efforts, Cody died about an hour after deputies arrived.

Gina Ruccione, a friend of Cody, said, "I got to experience a friendship with him and a title that no one can ever take away from me. He just was a really great guy."

Ruccione said that everybody who knew Cody had something great to say about him.

Cody was the business manager at St. Finbarr Catholic Parish, and those who knew him described him as a faithful man with a huge heart.

Ruccione reflected on his legacy, saying, "You know, how you leave this earth and people will remember you in that great positive light. That's what really matters, right?"

Another attendee at the vigil shared, "Everything about him, he was just anything he did in church with joy. He loved his job, and he just brought joy to so many people."

The pilot of the plane survived the crash, and the National Transportation Safety Board tells Gulf Coast News the plane was moved to a private facility for evaluation. Authorities are still working to confirm how the plane crashed.

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