Glen de Vries, an entrepreneur who journeyed to space on a Blue Origin voyage, died in an aircraft crash in New Jersey.
Glen de Vries, a businessman who travelled to space with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin last month, perished in a tiny plane crash on Thursday. According to New Jersey State Police, he was 49 years old.
Glen de Vries, an entrepreneur who journeyed to space on a Blue Origin voyage, died in an aircraft crash in New Jersey
Just before 3 p.m., the jet crashed in Sussex County, New Jersey. De Vries and Thomas P. Fischer, 54, were slain. According to state police, the FAA is investigating the crash.
Glen de Vries, an entrepreneur who journeyed to space on a Blue Origin voyage, died in an aircraft crash in New Jersey.
“We are heartbroken to learn about Glen de Vries’ untimely death. He infused the entire Blue Origin team and his fellow crewmates with so much life and vitality “Blue Origin issued a tweet. “His love of flying, humanitarian activity, and devotion to his profession will be remembered and cherished for a long time.”
De Vries, a private pilot in his spare time, was educated as a molecular biologist and co-founded Medidata Solutions, the world’s most widely used clinical research platform. More than 25,000 clinical studies involving more than seven million individuals have been administered by the company’s software. Dassault Systèmes paid $5.8 billion for the firm in 2019.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Glen and his family,” a Dassault Systèmes spokeswoman said in a statement on Friday. “Our heartfelt condolences also go out to the MEDIDATA team, which Glen co-founded. His boundless energy, sensitivity, and pioneering spirit left an indelible imprint on everyone who knew him. We shall mourn Glen terribly, but his ambitions, which we share, will carry on: we will seek development in life sciences and healthcare with the same zeal that he did.”
De Vries spent more than 10 minutes in space last month after launching alongside actor William Shatner, Australian entrepreneur Chris Boshuizen, and Blue Origin CEO Audrey Powers. Before the launch, he and his crewmates spoke with “CBS Mornings.”
We are devastated to hear of the sudden passing of Glen de Vries. He brought so much life and energy to the entire Blue Origin team and to his fellow crewmates. His passion for aviation, his charitable work, and his dedication to his craft will long be revered and admired. pic.twitter.com/1hwnjntTVs
“I’m genuinely looking forward to viewing the Earth from a different viewpoint than I’ve ever seen before,” he stated in an interview. “I can’t wait to look out that window and feel differently about people and our planet than I’ve ever felt before.”
De Vries, a Carnegie Mellon graduate, told CBS Pittsburgh station KDKA after the trip that it was an experience unlike any other. He stated that he wished to pique the attention of others in the space sector so that they, too, may have the opportunity to participate.
“That was something I believed would be essential to me before we went up, and now that we’ve done it, I’m even more certain. Perhaps a thousand times stronger conviction. That is something we must make available to as many people on the earth as possible in a fair manner “He informed the station.
He stated that this involves making space travel more affordable so that more people can participate. It’s unclear how much de Vries paid for his Blue Origin flying seat.
Lauren Sanchez, Bezos’ girlfriend, paid homage to de Vries via Instagram.
“Such a heartbreaking loss today,” she captioned the photo. “Last month, we met Glen de Vries, an extraordinary man, and his partner Leah. Every time we saw Leah and Glen together, we could see how much she adored him. She clutched my hand so tightly that it pained as he took off for space. With a crushed heart, I recall that time now. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Leah and Glen’s families, and we are deeply saddened by the dreadful news.”
