Published Oct. 23, 2004, in the Kirksville Daily Express

Story by Matthew Webber

KIRKSVILLE - Family members of the two survivors of Tuesday’s plane crash said the two are recovering, but they are still hurt — physically and emotionally.

Christy Bonham, sister-in-law of survivor Wendy Bonham, 44, said at a press conference at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine that the survivor remains in the intensive care unit at Northeast Regional Medical Center for her physical and emotional pain. Although Wendy Bonham is coping, the recovery process will be long.

Wendy Bonham is swollen and has sustained a lot of pain, but she is now able to sit up, “and she seems to be doing much better,” Christy Bonham said.

“Probably it’s just sufficient to say she’s suffering physically and emotionally,” Christy Bonham said. “[But] she’s a very strong person, and as she’s dealing with it very well, we’re very proud of her.”

Russ Bonham, Wendy Bonham’s husband, said his wife is still experiencing some pain, but she is recuperating due to the care and compassion of local health-care professionals.

“She is, of course, doing very well and recuperating very quickly, and we’re very happy and pleased about that,” Russ Bonham said. “She wants us to thank all of those, all of you, for your prayers and your thoughts, and especially the [health-care] professionals.”

Wendy Bonham is more concerned about the 13 people who died in the plane crash about two miles south of Kirksville Regional Airport and their families than she is about herself, Russ Bonham said.

“Wendy is, of course, also concerned about the families of those who did not survive the accident, and that is uppermost in our thoughts and minds and prayers right now,” Russ Bonham said. “[We] want these families to know our love and concern for them and that we’re praying for them.”

Like the Bonhams, Karen Krogh, wife of survivor John Krogh, 68, said her husband was still in pain, but he is recovering through physical therapy.

“He’s actually in more pain than he was in the beginning,” Karen Krogh said. “I know how it is after the second or third day. But he’s doing well. He was up walking today, and he will be doing that every day.”

She, too, thanked local health-care professionals for their care.

“He said if he were going to have a plane crash anywhere in the world, he did it in the right place,” Karen Krogh said.

Karen Krogh also said although her husband has a lot of “bumps and bruises” and feels tired, he feels the most pain for those who did not survive.

“I know that my husband had some pretty heavy injuries, they give him a lot of pain, but most of his pain comes from the loss of those other lives, and particularly his friend Dr. [Clark] Ator,” she said.

John Krogh felt hurt by some of the media, although most reporters were respectful of the situation, Karen Krogh said.

“Ninety-five percent of those who we’ve dealt with have been very caring and very considerate of our needs and going out of their way to assist us in some very important ways,” she said.

“I’m sorry to say we’ve also had the other experience, that we’ve seen in the one interview my husband gave,” she said. “It seems there were those members of the media who chose to take a few small facts and sensationalize those with headlines, and I know my husband will be very concerned, very, very upset about that.”

Both families attribute their miraculous recoveries to the survivors’ strong wills to live.

Christy Bonham said Wendy Bonham’s faith saved her.

“When she actually exited out that hole, she said, ‘I just knew that I needed to be alive,’” Christy Bonham said. “Of course, we are a very religious family, and we definitely feel that there was a plan for her, and that there was divine help, and that there’s a loving, heavenly father who was watching out for her.”

Frank, John Krogh’s son, said his dad is determined to recover.

“If it was up to him, he’d be back to work tomorrow,” Frank said.