The amazing Reba McEntire is turning 68 years old today, and she is deserving of every honor bestowed upon her. I still find myself listening to her songs many times a week, and it feels like she has always been a part of my life.
Reba’s life has not, however, been without difficulties. The airline accident that took several of her friends’ lives 32 years ago happened this year.
Reba McEntire won the Country Music Association’s “best singer” award four times in a row after making a reputation for herself in the late 1970s and early 1980s country music scene. Her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is another.
Even with her amazing career and many accomplishments, Reba has faced hardships in life, including personal tragedies.
Reba’s mother, Jacqueline, was ninety-three when she passed away in 2022 from cancer.
She was fully prepared to depart, having lived a great, full, and healthy life. The country music artist posted on social media, “The cancer may believe it has won the fight, but we’re giving God all the credit for choosing the time for her to go home to Him.”
Jacqueline McEntire’s aspiration to become a professional country singer was always present, and it was she who taught Reba to sing, allowing her to fulfill her dream via her daughter.
We all know how much she loved us, and she left knowing how much love she has. Reba remarked, “We have so many amazing memories, but we’re going to miss her.
Reba has experienced loss and grief before.
On March 16, thirty-two years ago, she perished in a horrific plane crash after a concert, along with seven members of her band and her tour manager.
I recall that 1991 day. I heard about the crash on the radio while I was heading to work. When I believed Reba was on the plane, my heart skipped a beat.
She wasn’t, though.
After playing in San Diego on March 16, 1991, Reba and her band were on their way to Fort Wayne, Indiana, for their next tour stop.
The band members and tour manager flew ahead of the other jet, which was waiting at the San Diego airport, while Reba, her husband, and the manager spent the night in San Diego.
Ten miles east of the airport, the first aircraft tragically met its demise.
Reba has frequently honored her deceased friends throughout the years.
In a tearful 2012 interview, she talked about the day her band broke up with Oprah Winfrey.
“Everyone on board was killed when the airplane’s tip struck a rock on the side of Otay Mountain,” McEntire said to Winfrey.
“After receiving the message, our pilot and Narvel, Reba’s boss, met, and he briefed us on the situation. It was two or three in the morning when Narvel came back to the hotel room where I was staying, and he informed me that one of the planes had crashed. I said, “Are they okay?” With a “I don’t think so,” he said. “But you’re not sure?” I asked. I don’t think so, he said.
As Reba described the specifics of the catastrophe, tears were welling up in her eyes.
“Narvel was calling from room to room while carrying a phone,” she started, stopping when tears started to form. “I apologize; I guess the pain never goes away, even after 20 years,” she uttered. But that chamber is visible to me. Narvel is moving back and forth, as I can see.
It’s been 32 years since the crash. She recently posted a picture of her band on Instagram, remembering the awful things that happened that day.
She shared another homage to her friends in 2020.
“I lost my pals in a plane tragedy 29 years ago today. It seems fitting that Mama passed away on that anniversary,” she wrote.
“I am aware that they are all in Heaven together, looking out for one another. Let’s continue to look out for one another while we’re still on this planet and never take a moment for granted to spend with our loved ones.
Reba’s supporters rushed to her aid, offering their unwavering support.
Numerous folks sent prayers and good thoughts.
“Hi Reba, I’ve always enjoyed your music, our mutual love of horses, and now that I’m following you on Instagram. One fan responded, “Prayers for you and your mother.”
Reba showed once more this year, in 2023, that she still grieves the terrible loss of her pals and that she will never forget them.
She posted a video of the group performing together along with the message, “Their love for music and the stage gives us all the strength to go on.”
