DC Plane Crash Victim Had Brewster Ties

Chris Collins, a frequent Brewster visitor, was one of the passengers on the American Airlines plane that collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers on Wednesday night. No survivors have been reported at this time.

 “Our family is devastated by the loss of Chris, our beloved husband, son, brother, and uncle,” the family said in a statement issued Friday. “Chris was a true adventurer with a passion for the outdoors and a lifelong love of animals. His talent as a financial professional brought him to New York City, where he fell in love with a city girl, his cherished wife Jen. While Jen and Chris built a joy-filled city life together, Chris’ call to the outdoors never wavered, whether it was hiking Lögberg in Iceland, camping and rafting in the Great Smoky Mountains, skiing and snowboarding, and most of all, enjoying the coastal outdoor landscape of Brewster, MA and the rest of Cape Cod.”

 Collins worked as a vice president senior analyst for Moody’s Investors Service in New York City. He was traveling for business at the time of the crash.

"The Moody’s family mourns the loss of two of our best, Chris Collins and Melissa Nicandri, who tragically lost their lives on American Airlines Flight 5342,” the company said in a statement. “Chris and Melissa were cherished colleagues who embodied our values and enriched our lives with kindness and warmth. They leave an immeasurable void in our community, and our hearts go out to their families, friends and colleagues, as well as all those grieving from this terrible tragedy.”

 Collins was a Massachusetts native, growing up in North Dighton. Before moving to New York City, Collins was a social studies teacher in North Attleborough. He and his family summered regularly in Brewster. His parents, Bob and Nancy used to live in Brewster, but have relocated to Stamford, Connecticut. 

The family is requesting privacy during this unforeseen tragedy.