Pilot of Flight 587 Remembered in NJ

PLAINSBORO, NJ: Two of the victims of the crash had links to our area. The brother and sister of 50 year old Juan Batista Almonte live in Vineland. Almonte, who lived in New York, was flying to Santo Domingo to visit his mother. And the pilot of American Airlines Flight 587 lived in Plainsboro, New Jersey near Princeton. It's a picture perfect New Jersey farmhouse draped in patriotic colors. All day long friends arrived with food, flowers and words of comfort. Forty-two year old Edward States, who wore the four stripes of an American Airlines captain, was in command of Flight 587. However, his family sent word that they wanted him to be remembered not for his job, but his passion for his family and community.

States and his wife Mary Alden have two young sons. The couple met in the Air Force Reserve. Fellow reservists from McGuire stopped by the States home, and later they organized a touch football came with many of the kids who were at the house.

Friends say States would have appreciated the gesture, as a little league coach and as someone who took a great interest in young people.

At Trinity Episcopal in Princeton, States was remembered warmly as a enthusiastic handyman who could take a joke about his hairline, and was always ready to pitch in. As a Sunday School Teacher of third graders he was infinitely patient even as he snapped dozens of name tag photos.

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: 6 ABC - Action News