Local News
Matt Sweets Dies After Courageous Battle in ICU Following UPS Plane Crash in Louisville
The family of Matt Sweets has confirmed his passing after a valiant fight for life in the intensive care unit, where he was being treated for critical burn injuries sustained in the UPS Flight 2976 plane crash near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.
In a heartfelt statement, Matt’s sister Michelle Sweets expressed deep gratitude for the community’s compassion and support:
“I want to thank everyone who has reached out with kind words and well wishes to me and my family regarding my brother, Matt Sweets. It is with the heaviest heart that I share he passed away this afternoon after fighting his hardest in the ICU. The outpouring of love and concern from our community has been truly touching. We’ll share information about arrangements in the next day or two. For now, please keep his girlfriend, Brooke, and his two young children in your prayers, as well as the rest of our family.”
Matt was among those severely injured in the November 4, 2025, crash when the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo aircraft plummeted shortly after takeoff, erupting into a massive fireball that engulfed several buildings near Grade Lane and Fern Valley Road.
The disaster claimed at least 13 lives, including the three UPS crew members onboard, while 16 individuals remain unaccounted for. Officials have warned that the death toll may rise as recovery efforts continue.
According to relatives, Matt initially survived the impact but suffered third-degree burns covering approximately 95% of his body.
Despite undergoing intensive treatment and multiple surgeries, his injuries proved too severe.
Before his passing, friends and family launched a community fundraiser to support Brooke Murray, Matt’s longtime partner, and their two young children.
The campaign aimed to alleviate financial burdens caused by mounting medical costs and loss of household income while Matt remained hospitalized.
“Matt is a fighter,” the campaign description read. “We are holding on to every bit of hope and faith that God gives us. He has a long road ahead, but we are believing for his healing.”
Donations were designated to cover essential living expenses, including rent, groceries, and utilities, allowing the family to focus on Matt’s recovery. Following his passing, those funds will now be used to assist Brooke and the children as they navigate this unimaginable loss.
Meanwhile, Governor Andy Beshear described the crash as “catastrophic,” extending condolences to the victims’ families and commending first responders for their tireless efforts.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues to lead the investigation.
Preliminary findings suggest the plane’s left engine detached from the wing shortly after takeoff, leading to the fiery crash.
Local authorities have also issued a fraud alert, warning families to be cautious of scammers posing as investigators and demanding money in exchange for information about missing loved ones.
Anyone receiving such messages is urged to contact Louisville Metro Police at (502) 574-LMPD (5673) and refrain from sending payments.
As Louisville mourns one of its most devastating aviation tragedies, the community continues to rally around the victims’ families — especially Brooke Murray and her children, who are now facing life without the man they loved.
“Matt and Brooke are loved by so many,” the fundraiser page concludes. “Please keep them in your prayers and help us support this family as they face the most difficult chapter of their lives. Matt’s courage and strength will never be forgotten.”
UPDATE: Search efforts have been suspended following the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, marking another tragic loss for the city’s historic fishing community.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early Friday morning by the vessel’s emergency beacon after it activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders located a debris field, an unoccupied life raft, and one deceased individual in the water.
Six other crew members remain missing and are presumed lost after an extensive air and sea search yielded no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area in its decision to suspend operations.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Authorities have identified all seven individuals who lost their lives after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, marking a devastating loss for Gloucester’s historic fishing community.
The Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel measuring between 72 and 80 feet in length and homeported in Gloucester—the nation’s oldest working fishing port—activated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 6:50 a.m. Friday while returning to port.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area of the distress signal.
Crews located a debris field and an unoccupied life raft roughly 25 miles offshore near the EPIRB activation site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor. One deceased individual was recovered from the water.
The remaining six crew members were later presumed lost after extensive search efforts yielded no additional results.
Officials confirmed that seven people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, revising earlier reports that indicated six.
The seven individuals who perished aboard the Lily Jean are:
- John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Sean Therrien, 44, of Lynn/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Freeman Short, of the Marshfield/Scituate area
- Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a well-known and respected Gloucester fisherman
- Paul Beal Sr., deckhand
- Paul Beal Jr., deckhand and son of Paul Beal Sr.
- Jada Samitt, 22, of Virginia
Jada Samitt, the seventh crew member identified, was serving aboard the vessel in the role of a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She had recently relocated to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for environmental biology, graduating last year. Family members said joining the Lily Jean crew was her first major professional role at sea and a lifelong dream.
Her aunt, Heather Michaels, described Samitt as a compassionate and driven young woman who deeply respected her captain and dedicated herself fully to her work. “She put her heart and soul into this opportunity,” family members said, noting her commitment to marine conservation and the fishing community.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water shortly before contact was lost.
The vessel is now presumed fully submerged.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Gloucester’s close-knit maritime community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knew the vessel’s owner, emphasized the daily risks faced by commercial fishermen. “I hope people really take a moment to understand the sacrifices these men and women make to put food on our tables,” she said. “This is heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed condolences, highlighting Gloucester’s deep fishing heritage. “Gloucester has a long fishing history, and that history includes tragic loss,” Tarr said. “It appears we are experiencing another of those painful chapters.”
Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was “heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester,” adding that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard. She extended prayers to the victims’ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the Commonwealth.
Community members and local businesses have continued to share messages of remembrance and solidarity. Taylor Hunt, a relative of Freeman Short, posted a tribute honoring the crew, writing in part: “The salt has been in our blood for generations… A man is not lost while the sea remembers his name. Fair winds and following seas.”
The Lily Jean had previously been featured on the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men, which documented the dangers and demands of New England’s commercial fishing industry.
While search operations have concluded, the Coast Guard and relevant agencies continue to review the circumstances surrounding the sinking. Officials have stated that further updates will be released as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have urged the public to keep the victims’ families and Gloucester’s fishing community in their thoughts and prayers during this period of profound loss.