Following a crash at the US-Canada border, people in Grand Island, New York have been paying tribute to Kurt and Monica Villani, identified locally as the two people killed when their Bentley crashed and burst into flames.
The Villanis were killed after their vehicle became airborne and crashed at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing. The exact cause of the crash is still unknown.
Grand Island locals hailed the couple, who were owners of a small-business, as “ingrained and influential” members of the community, always happy to help with charitable causes and community projects.
“It’s a nice community, but not too many of us have Bentleys,” Eric Fiebelkorn, president of the Chamber of Commerce on Grand Island, told The Buffalo News.
“Everybody knows everybody on Grand Island... It’s the smallest town of small towns, Mr Fiebelkorn said.
“They are a very generous and community-oriented family. It leaves a void in our small-town business community that will be very difficult to fill. Our prayers and our thoughts certainly go out to their family and staff.
“There are some people who are always plugged in. Their family always was.”
The tragic incident came one day before Thanksgiving.
Chuck Meyer, a close friend and neighbour, said he had seen multiple vehicles at the Villanis’ house on Wednesday, initially assuming that the couple were throwing an early Christmas or Thanksgiving party.
“Then about an hour later, I heard the news and I’m like, oh my God,” he told NBC-affiliate-WGRZ.
Mary Meyer said: “It’s really shock and devastation and it’s just gut wrenching really, really. They were so loved.”
She added: “They were so generous and kind and always willing to help. You know, just plowing everybody’s driveway for the love of it, you know what I mean? Just always willing to help and lend a hand. Always. always, always.
“They were just so very, kind – wonderful people.”
Mr Meyer said: "Without ever being asked, they would just be giving and gifting, and that’s the type of people we lost."
Scott Henderson, treasurer of the Niagara Sailing Club on Grand Island, told NBC-affiliate-WGRZ that the Villanis were “so ingrained and influential in this community.”
The Niagara Sailing Clubhouse, which was heavily damaged by a March 2021 fire, and the couple had made multiple donations, both personal and through their business, to help with its rennovation.
“Without those folks we would have never, never been able to this extent rebuild this beautiful club,” Mr Henderson said.
Mr Villani’s father, Kurt Villani Sr, had also been a well-known figure in Grand Island, prior to his death in August last year.
Niagara Falls Mayor Robert M Restaino, a long-time friend of Mr Villani Sr, paid tribute to the couple, describing them as “two kind, easygoing” people.
“Our families have known each other for decades. I knew Kurt and Monica, two kind, easygoing and very hardworking people,” Mr Restaino told The Buffalo News.
He added: “This was just a tragic, horrible incident, and because of the condition of the vehicle and sadly the human remains, we may never find out exactly what happened.”
The Villanis had a son and a daughter, and are also survived by Mr Villani’s mother, according to Mr Restaino.
